The Aftermath
by Babybloo
Summary: It is after the second Cardcaptor movie, and it is about Sakura who has a new loving boyfriend, and they both pass the time living together, until a new danger appears, and the two lovers will have to fight it as the old days.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Getting Down the Tower (Li's Point of View)**

I caught Sakura, and held her tight in my arms. I was the happiest man in the world. The hug was like another challenge I had passed…the best challenge I had ever passed. She was with me…at last…

"I love you Sakura." That's why I've wanted to say at that moment. Words of feelings came out easily at that moment.

"Shiaoran…" Sakura said in her sweet voice, still in my arms.

"We should get going back. All of the people are supposed to be back! C'mon!" I said, remembering suddenly that there were supposed to be people out there, just trying to remember what had happened. They started to get down and down the stairs. A long trip.

"I'm so happy we're finally together." Sakura said, while we held hands…that sentence surprised me.

"Me too. I thought you were never going to give me a reply." I said, admitting it.

"It's just that I wasn't sure if I liked you or not." She said, kindly.

"Why didn't you tell me before I went off? I was hoping for it." I said too, but I felt kind of dumb asking that question.

"I…I don't know." She said, laughing a little.

"This was an incredible adventure."

"Yep, sure it was."

"You did excellent of the play, Sakura."

"Oh, thanks." She said, putting red.

Silence came, but only for some seconds, and I enjoyed them only holding her hand, going down and down the stairs…

"Li…I want to tell you that I would have never done this without your help." Sakura said.

"C'mon, Sakura, I didn't even help." It was an absolute truth.

"But I don't mean just the help you gave me to capture this card…I also mean all the others…"

"Those? You were the Cardcaptor in the first place! I just came in to disturb your journey."

"But look how the journey ended."

"Yes, you're right."

Silence came again…it was twice the longer than the old one.

"What a silence, let's talk!" she suddenly said.

"About what?" I said startled.

"About…I know! Did I tell you how I felt about when you came back?"

"No."

"I felt like my heart wanted to leave my body! I was half happy half scared."

"I know the feeling."

"And you see that Tomoyo is always taking video everywhere?"

"Yes."

"Well, I was seeing a video where I and you were fighting a Clow Card…at that time, I missed you so much."

"Were you really going to tell me when we got on the wheel fortune?"

"You made things harder!"

"What?!?"

"Yes! You acted so sweetly and kind, and you didn't took your look off of me!"

"And that made it harder?"  
"Yes!"

"Sorry."

"And now you're doing the same thing too!"

"Now what am I doing?!?"

"You're acting so noble."

"Is that a crime?"

"Well, that is another reason why I like you." I blushed as she gave me a quick sweet hug. She was so beautiful. Her green eyes were my jail. They trapped me. They made me think that I was worth of something…first I only thought of getting the Clow Cards, that my magic had to advance…but that was just a goal I planned to get to…but with Sakura at my side, the hunt for the Clow Cards seemed worthless.

"You have such beautiful eyes Sakura." She blushed, and we continued our way down. We had finally made it at the bottom of the stairs, and beautiful sunlight came from the main entrance. We passed through the door.

"Let's go find our friends." Sakura suggested, as she started running to where she had seen them last. I followed her running. Part of my right shoulder ached, but I ignored the pain while I saw how Sakura's beautiful dress moved rhythmically through the gusts of wind. We finally made it to get to Mei Ling and Tomoyo.

"Sakura! It's you!" Tomoyo said running to her, giving her a hug.

"Li! Li!" Mei Ling repeated as she came to hug me as well.

"You did it! And you came with a smile, just as I knew you would, Sakura!" Tomoyo said grinning at Sakura happily.

"Happy? I thought you had to give your most important feeling to get the Card." Mei Ling said to Sakura confused.

"Well, I found another way. I managed to get the Card." Sakura said pulling a pink large card with a girl with wings in her head, very long hair, closed eyes, a smile and she held a beautiful heart.

"So that means you still preserve your must important feeling?" Mei Ling asked. Sakura nodded quickly.

"And what about you Li?" Tomoyo asked.

"Nothing. The important thing is that we got the Card, and that we passed a great time here in Japan." I said quickly.

"Oh c'mon Li! Tell them really the news." Sakura said, touching my ribs with her elbow.

"Uh…why don't you tell them?" I said. I really didn't want anyone to know.

"Well, OK…Li and I are boyfriends now."

Tomoyo gasped happily, but Mei Ling frowned and then made a serious smile.

"So of all the scenarios me and Tomoyo put for you, Sakura, to declare your love to Shiaoran, you decided the best scenario in the end of the battle?" Mei Ling said.

"Well, you must admit that was very romantic." Tomoyo said, with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. I blushed too much. Sakura had just said it and she sounded like nothing important…but of course she cared! Or at least I think she cares…

She must care…she's the most valuable person in the world for me…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The First Kiss (Sakura's PoV)

Chapter 2 – The First Kiss (Sakura's PoV)

I had 12 years, and I was a very, very happy girl. My life had turned OK after all. I got all the Cards back, including the Sealed Card, and I got myself a boyfriend. Nothing could go wrong this time…except of course I opened another strange book from the basement and lots of Cards come out again.

Suddenly the phone rang.

"I'll get it." I said running to it.

I answered: "Yes?"

"Oh, Sakura." Tomoyo's voice said from the phone.

"What's up Tomoyo?"

"I was thinking if you wanted to eat in the Chinese restaurant near the penguin slide?"

"I would sure want to."

"And besides, I have invited Li."

"Just Li? What about Mei—"

"She's occupied. What? Don't you want to see your 'boyfriend' again?" She put too most emphasis to the word "boyfriend". Well, it had been a week since I had captured the last Clow Card, and I hadn't seen Li since he said goodbye at Sakura's house's entrance.

"OK, I'll go."

"Well, see you then."

"But when am I supposed to go?"

"Ah, in some 5 minutes it would be great. Bye!"

"5 minutes? Tomoyo? Tomoyo, answer!" But she had hanged out. 5 minutes…

I went to dress myself nicely in my room. I went running to the entrance: "Dad, I'm going to meet some friends. I'm going to eat with them."

"OK sweetheart, take care." And I went off running, when suddenly I remembered: my skates!!!

I quickly put them on and went to the restaurant, seeing my watch. I got to it one minute before the arranged, and I entered the restaurant, putting my skates in a back pack I brought. I went to the main hall and tried to see Tomoyo when I located her, and I went running to her.

"Hi, Tomoyo."

"Hey, Sakura."

"…and Li?"

"Oh, he will arrive in some five minutes, I just called him."

"What?!?"

"And I must say, he longs to see you again Sakura."

"Why did you invite me five minutes before Shiaoran came?"

"It is nice to expect the invited, right?"

"Right." I said, kind of annoyed that she didn't tell me that she was just going to call Shiaoran…Shiaoran…at last I was going to see him. All week I tried to call him, but I didn't get too much bravery to invite him to any place. And there was some mini-vacations from school. I would enter it again in a week I think, but I didn't care. Shiaoran…I couldn't expect to see his amber beautiful eyes.

Suddenly, at that moment, I sensed a presence and I turned around, there he was, my lovely dear Shiaoran.

"Good evening." He said, as kind as ever.

"Where may we sit?" Tomoyo said happily.

"Wherever you prefer." Li said quickly.

"Sakura, where do you want to go?" Tomoyo asked me.

"Well, I like that place." I said pointing to a common sit. I never minded where to sit. We sat there in the table for four, and though I was going to sit besides Tomoyo she insisted that I had to sit besides Li, and I went to sit next to him, he blushed. It was like it was a week ago, when I hadn't confessed my feelings for him.

I sat down, and I felt Li staring at me, smiling. He made me flutter…his look was so penetrating, and loving…

"I will love to record all this!" Tomoyo said getting her video camera out, filming Li and Sakura who looked at her confused.

"Tomoyo." I said, looking at her with a look of "please, don't this, let me stay next to Li alone", but she didn't care and stayed filming.

"Sakura, I will give you the tape, don't worry."

"Please, don't film, it's…intimidating." I finished, and well, it worked as she closed her camera and kept it in her purse. With that, a waitress came to take our order, and we started to eat. After an hour we were satisfied. We all started to talk happily, but Li didn't talk a lot. I wanted him to talk, to hear his voice again. All I had heard from him since he left me last time in my house was an hour ago when he said: "Good evening."

Bah…I missed his voice…but at least that was the man I had chose to love…my loved and timid Shiaoran.

"Well, I'm full. I will leave you two alone." Tomoyo said standing up.

"But the dessert is just coming." I said, looking at her shyly.

"Oh, eat it without me. Please Sakura, you may don't have a chance to stay with Li eating the dessert." I blushed, and she giggled and went away, walking. Suddenly, I still tried to see if she stayed, but she was gone. I was worried. Alone with Li again? And I didn't know what to say…still…I think I knew what to do…

I grabbed Li and hugged him, for an unknown reason. Then I turned to look at him, and he was seeing to a window, beyond some bushes.

"What are you seeing, Li?" I asked.

"Uh? Oh, nothing, I thought I saw something…"

"You wouldn't be seeing another girl, right?" I said, laughing, annoying him.

"Of course not! I…I only have eyes for you." He said somewhat automatically.

"And you do have them very pretty."

"Oh, please Sakura, don't make me blush. Besides, you have them a lot prettier."

"I love you, Shiaoran."

"I love you more, Sakura. Oh look, here's the cake." Then the waitress appeared and left a delicious chocolate piece of cake in front of us.

"Please take the first bite." Li said handing me a spoon. I took it, but I said: "No, you take it."

"No, you, please."

"No, Shiaoran. You're the invited, please take it. Don't make me insist."

"…alright." Li took the spoon and took the first bite.

"Nor that it was so important, but anyway." I said, and Li laughed. I was passing it too good, and for my surprise, Li put an arm around me and hugged me, while we ate from the same cake.

"And Shiaoran, how much do you love me?"

"Too much."

"Oh, c'mon, be more specific."

"I would die for you."

"Don't be so dramatic!"

"Don't be so demanding." I giggled.

"But it's true, Sakura." He said sweetly as ever.

"Are you serious?" I said blushing. I couldn't believe what he was saying.

"…what do you guess?" He said grinning at me when I turned to see his beautiful eyes, feeling his right arm around me, so I let out my cutest smile to answer the question he asked me. And then, I finished my last bite of the cake and put my arms around him, and he still continued to eat the cake.

"You don't know how happy you make me." Li said, and I could feel I liked him even more! "When I was in the plane returning to Hong Kong, I was fighting the urge to get out running, catch with you and hug you." Now I really loved him!!! I smiled at him, wanting to kiss him…but was that the right moment, or did I have to wait until he gave it to me first?

"So, what about the teddy bear I gave you? Do you still conserve him?"

"Yes, of course, why wouldn't I?" I said, giving a smile. I suddenly realized I had been blushing, but from what point I don't remember.

"You still haven't given me anything for a reminder." Li said, and then he took another cake bite.

"Does that mean you'll forget me?" I said annoying him again.

"No, I don't mean that. Let's forget that reminder, OK?" But now that was my chance. I got near his face, and I took a deep breathe, smelling his peculiar smell, and then I pointed to his mouth, and then I could see a little impression eyes before I closed mine's and started to give him a kiss.

It was the best thing I had had for so long. It was passionate and loving, nothing too exaggerated, nothing too thought out, and nothing to be admired, but for me it was. Li was putting everything in that kiss, and I think I tried to do the same thing. One thing I'm sure of is that we both revealed how we felt about each other with that kiss. Suddenly, he separated, and I watched him if I had done something wrong, when he smiled at me with a dreamy face and hugged me with his two warm hands. I felt like I was her princess.

"I love you Sakura." Li said behind me, while I still hugged him. We separated, and looked at each other for a time, and I responded sweetly: "Me too, Li." And then, Li turned to eat the last bite of the cake, leaving nothing in the dish.

"Oh, that's why you tasted like chocolate." I said, grinning at him, and he turned very red, and then he smiled, laughing a little.

"Well, I have to get going. I promised Mei Ling I would get to get the house chores done." I was so disappointed he had to ruin those beautiful moments, but I stood up too with him.

"I will accompany you." I said, and he smiled at me, and he held my hand, and we went away to his house, speaking and laughing in our way to Li's home.

"Our first kiss…" I thought…I didn't want that moment beside Li to be lost. I wanted to be with him there forever, near him…it's because…he's the most valuable person in the world for me…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Issues (Li's PoV)

Chapter 3 – Issues (Li's PoV)

RRRRIIINNNGGG!!! RRRRIIIINNNNNGGGG!!!!!!!

I pressed the alarm button to silence it, and I stood up, yawning. I couldn't believe that Mei Ling wanted to go to the aquarium. I asked if I could invite Sakura, but she said that there were going to be some of her new Japanese friends over there, and that she had promised to bring me. I didn't catch the point, but she insisted a lot, that I promised I could go with her, and it was that moment, that I had to get ready to meet Mei Ling at the door ready to go to the aquarium.

How boring!

While I changed, I remembered how the day before yesterday I got to eat with Sakura. The last I have heard from her, was a warm "Goodbye" after she gave me another sweet kiss. I couldn't believe that she had given me the first kiss. I always thought that a man, in this case me, had to start giving the first kiss, but it seems that with Sakura everything seemed different. I wanted to see her again. I had seen her yesterday at the park with Tomoyo playing with her friends with the ball, and I wanted to go and speak to her, but I was in the way with Mei Ling to the shop, and I pretended I didn't see her because she was in a hurry.

I had noticed lately how Mei Ling was much occupied. She couldn't get to the restaurant, and she has been missing from the house and talking seriously on the phone…what was happening? Did she have a boyfriend too? Not likely…if she had a boyfriend, she had already told Li, as he was the boy she trusted the most.

I finally finished to tie my shoes, get the final brushes of my hair (which were in vain) and went running to the entrance. There, I stood waiting a minute when Mei Ling appeared in a red beautiful dress.

"Good morning, Mei." I said, as I opened the door for her.

"Good morning, Shiaoran." And we got out.

We didn't speak much in the short way to the aquarium, when we finally made it to our destination. We entered, and Mei used her new cell phone to call her friends where were they. We quickly located them. They were indeed her friends, but they all seemed to get the less interest in me. While they all saw the fishes and other aquatic creatures, I was daydreaming that, maybe I could invite Sakura to eat at the center of the city. There was a little part where people got fake engagement rings, with a big candy on top of the rings. Maybe I could also buy a better teddy bear to Sakura, as I thought that my last present was too horrible, too used.

"Shiaoran." I woke up when I noticed that a girl was calling me. It was a pretty girl, who was a Mei's friend. "How old are you?"

"I'm…twelve. You?" I said, trying to continue the conversation.

"Just as you, twelve."

"Well, we should get a sit. I'm hungry. There is a little restaurant. I continued talking to the girl, and in the way, I discovered her name was Shimei, and I also thought of seeing Sakura, my love, in middle of all the people. I just identified the beautiful brown and bright hair, but maybe it was another person. We got to a little sell post and we bought hamburgers or sandwiches and different food types, and we got sits in middle of a center of many, many little sell posts.

"So, Li, why did you change her to Japan?" Shimei asked me sweetly. She got close to me, but I seemed that I didn't notice.

"Doesn't Mei Ling tell anything?"

"I'm the sister of Tomodachi."

"Hi." A girl with long black hair, saluting me.

"Hi." I responded shyly.

"And I didn't Mei Ling. I just invited, just like you." Shimei continued.

"Well, to answer your question. We just came here to study…my mother sent us." I said.

"Wow, and you liked Japan so far?"

"Yes." She got a little closer, and I blushed a little. She was sitting besides me.

"And why would your mother send you here?"

"Well, I don't exactly now, but it was an order…" I lied. I knew she had sent me here to look for the Clow Cards, and who could have imagined that I had ended with none, but I had Cardcaptor Sakura as my girlfriend.

"Well…Li—you don't mind if I call you Li, right?"

"No."

"And do you have a girlfriend here in Japan?"

"Well…" I was asking if I could answer with truth. I didn't know, but I decided to lie. I had a thing that told me to keep my love secret from anyone…not that is shame…it was something elusive. "No." I answered.

WOOOOOW! I thought as something much unexpected happened. Shimei kissed me!!! When I quickly realized what she was doing, I got away, and I didn't know what to do. Everyone in the table was seeing at me confused, and with a bewildered look at Shimei.

"I have to go." I said, as I got my back pack from the back of the chair and went of running. A kiss of a stranger! I was imagining what would Sakura think if she had seen that? And I went to my house.

…

The day after the incident at the aquarium, I was writing a letter to Sakura in my desk. I wanted to write her cute things, and that way, I was (I think) trying to forgive myself of that unwanted kiss. Suddenly, the Sakura cell phone rang, and I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Li?" The cutest voice in Earth was coming from the phone. Sakura!

"Sakura! What a surprise! I love to hear your voice again!"

"Li, I need to talk to you. Now." I got startled at the tone she said it…it was like forceful.

"OK, where do you want to talk me?"

"At the penguin slide."

"OK, I'll be there. Love you, bye."

"Bye." I waited for her to say an "I love you too" or something, but she hung out. I was feeling kind of disappointed after that event. I went running out of the house, leaving a note to Mei Ling at the kitchen that I was going to return in one hour, being with Sakura. Or that is what I thought I was going to do.

I got in five minutes to the penguin slide, and there I saw Sakura at the base of the slide, waiting.

"Sakura!" I called her with a wide smile. I ran to her.

"Let's sit inside the penguin, OK?" She said in a trembling voice.

"Yeah, whatever you want." I said with a smile, and we both sit inside the slide.

"Li?"

"Yes, Sakura?"

"I saw you yesterday at the aquarium kissing a girl." OMG!!! Oh no!!! She had seen that moment!!!

"Sakura, you must understand. I di—"

"You didn't want her to kiss you, right?!?" She said in a crooked voice.

"She got me by surprise. She was the sister of a Mei's friend. She asked me if I had a girlfriend, I said no, and she kissed me in all of a sudden!"

"And did you deny that you have a girlfriend?!? Why?!?" Her eyes were starting to get watery.

"Because I think our love is so pure that that girl didn't have any right to know about us."

"What an excuse!!! You were betraying me!!!"

"NOOO!!! NEVER SAY THAT!!!" I was shouting at that moment. She suddenly stood quite. "No, Sakura, if I betrayed your love, believe me, I would first of all, kill myself!!! No way I'm going to betray my most valuable person in this world!!! No way!!! Never!!! Don't you dare think of that, understood?!?"

OOOOPS.

At the final exclamation, she started to sob, and I wanted to hit myself. Why did I have to say that to her. It was like I was trying to get control over her!!!

"Sorry, Sakura, I didn't mean to make you sad." I said, giving her a handkerchief. She grabbed it and started to clean, and I hugged her, as hard, but at the same time, as sweet as I could.

"Sakura…words can't express what I really feel about you, and the nearest to them would be that I love you so much. You're the most important person for me in the world. If you want to…you can get far from me, or hit me, whatever you want, but I want to see again your sweet smile. And I thinking that I always wanted you to make you happy, and it turns out I made you cry. I will never forgive myself, even if you do forgive me, which I doubt. Sakura…" She stopped sobbing, and she quickly turned to be and gave me a kiss. I kissed her back. It was our third kiss, and it was full of passion as the others…full of love, non forced…not a little piece of hatred in that…with that kiss, I understood she loved me back, that she forgave me…but…I still wanted to do something for her….it started raining.

"It's raining." I said to Sakura in middle of our kiss, as I could hear some drops outside. We separated, and I stared in her eyes…they were so, so, pretty…

"Please forgive me, Li." She said, rubbing my hand.

"For what?" I said, surprised.

"To get so jealous…I'm so sorry…I'm sorry that I don't trust you how I must…I shouldn't earn your trust if I don't trust you the way I'm supposed…but don't worry…I'm going to trust you as I have to…" I grabbed her chin and smiled and said: "You don't have to do anything Sakura…do what you do…you will always be perfect. I think it's impossible to love you more than I feel about you right now."

When I finished, she tackled me with a sweet hug, and there I sat down, with my back leant back on a penguin foot, hugging Sakura back. After two minutes, Sakura got in my lap and I started brushing sweetly her hair.

"You can sleep if you're tired. I'll wake you up when the storm ceases."

"And lose these magnificent times with you? No, thank you."

"Thank you for forgiving me."

"There was nothing to apologize for."

"I was planning to go to the center of the city with you. What do you think?"

"It sounds lovely. I would love to go…tomorrow."

"Yes, I can do that. Thanks for accepting my invitation, sweetheart."

"I love you Shiaoran."

"It's surprising they say angels don't exist, when they have a beautiful one here in Japan with the name of Sakura Kinomoto. I love you so much, Sakura." She stood up and kissed me again. I closed my eyes, and received her kiss with pleasure. I returned it, and enjoyed the moment at every second. I couldn't get out the hold of her…it's just that I loved her even more than my own life…she's the most valuable person in the world for me…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – Everything that Starts, Ends (Sakura's PoV)**

"Thanks for taking me home, Li." I said, while I kissed him in the cheek. "Bye."

"Bye." He said, as he went away. I saw him walk slowly, and I felt how my love grew and grew more for him! I totally believed him in the part of his unwanted kiss…I could feel he meant it…and the things he spoke to me below the penguin…I didn't think he was so romantic and so caring. Oh, how much did I love him!!! It had been a cool night after the time we passed at the penguin slide, that he accompanied me home, using his jacket to warm me up. Oh, he was so sweet.

"Hey, Sakura, you better get inside. It's getting cold." Kero said from my bedroom window. I nodded at him happily, and I went running to my room saying: "Dad, I'm back!"

I got to my room.

"So, so, Sakura, I saw your boyfriend leave you here at the entrance again. Now what did you two do?" Kero said, sitting on the bed.

"Not much, really."

"Really? Didn't you shout at him or something?"

"Shout? Why would I shout to him?" I said intrigued that he somehow knew what I had planned for that day. Oh, I so much regret shouting that way to Li.

"Yesterday, you came here all angry and sad. I noticed it, and this afternoon you called him up angrily. What did you told him?"

"Well…it's just that I saw him kissing with another girl."

"WHAT?!?! Sakura, he's playing with your heart." And before Sakura replied, a voice came from the window: "No, I'm not."

It was Li.

"Li? What are you doing here?" I asked quickly. I got both scared and pleased to see his amber eyes again.

"Well, I wanted to say good night for the first time."

"Good night?" I asked confused. Li saying good night to me was a very romantic idea, but not at that time, when Toya could get to my room and see him in my window! There I would really be on trouble!

"Oh, it's the little trouble boy again." Kero said looking at him angrily. "Why are you playing with Sakura's heart? She deserves more than you!"

"I'm sure she deserves even more than me, but I am not playing with her. I love her." Li said looking at Kero innocently.

"Yeah, right, give us a break and get out of here before someone comes." Kero was getting red of anger.

"Don't worry; I brought you some food to cool you down." Li said as he threw a chocolate bar at my desk.

"A chocolate bar? You can't buy me w—wait a minute…is this chocolate that has the—"

"Golden coupon on it? Of course." Li nodded when Kero suddenly grabbed the bar as crazy and started to eat it as crazy. I was going to say something, when Li saw that I was going to do so and interrupted me before talking: "I also brought one for you."

"Oh, thanks." And he launched it to me, and caught it. I put it in my pocket.

"Well, I'm going to get dressed to sleep." I said, and I got out the pajamas from my wardrobe, and I headed to the bathroom to change up. While I was changing, I was hearing Kero and Li speak, and though Kero was shouting at him or telling him horrible things, Li didn't tell him bad things back. I finally stopped dressing, and I saw Kero and Li laughing.

"Are you two laughing?" I said in surprise.

"Sakura, go to bed." My dad said. "Tomorrow you have to get to the meeting with me."

"Oh yeah, I'll be sleeping now." I called out, sad that another moment with Li was interrupted.

"So, you won't be able to go to the center tomorrow?" Li asked, changing his beautiful smile.

"No, I totally forgot."

"Don't worry…OK, I will do what I came to do. Good night." Li said as he approached me and gave me a quick, but sweet kiss. Kero said: "Oh c'mon, in the TV they do it better than that."

Li laughed a little: "Well, see you later Kero." He jumped to the window, and he turned and smiled me and told: "Good night Sakura, I love you. And by the way, I brought you this." And he jumped out of view, after throwing me a beautiful pink flower. I caught it in air.

"I like this kid. He's…kind of funny." Kero admitted.

"Cool, you two are now friends." I said beaming at him.

"Well, I wouldn't consider it a friendship, but anyway…OK, it's my turn to put the lights out." And he went to the switch and turned it off, as I entered bed, admiring the pink flower Li had given me. It was such a romantic and beautiful thing, a symbol of our love, even though I saw it in darkness.

"Good night." Kero said as he sailed to bed.

"Good night." I said dreamy while I closed my eyes smiling, picturing Li in my head.

…

I woke up, and got ready for the boring meeting. Finally, I got to home tired at 2pm and I went to my bed and laid on it, when suddenly the Sakura cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Sakura."

"Li, my love, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just that…we need to talk."

"Talk?" I wondered if I had done something wrong. And if he wanted to break with me?!? NO, no way! He acted so kindly last night.

"Yes…but…if you're occupied we could talk tomorrow at school."

"Tomorrow? Well, if you want, but I'm not occupied today. We can see again if you want today."

"No, tomorrow would be fine."

"What? Don't you want to see me?"

"No, it's the entire contrary but I…I really prefer if I told you in school what…what I have to tell you."

"Well…whatever you wish for, my Li."

"Thanks Sakura, I knew you would understand."

"Thanks to you…and the chocolate you gave me last night was delicious."

"Oh, thanks."

"Well, was that all you had to tell me?"

"Yes, indeed."

"Then, you're sure you don't want us to see today?"

"Sorry Sakura, but…I really prefer tomorrow."

"Okay…well…until tomorrow. I love you so much. Bye."

"Bye, me too."

…

I got to school that next morning, after the whole mini vacations. I got always as late as ever, and then I got to the classroom and greeted everyone as always. I spoke to all my friends, seeing that Li wasn't in his place. Suddenly, just before the class was going to start, Li appeared at the door.

"Shiaoran!" I greeted at him, but he didn't seem happy to see me. I got sad…what was he planning to tell me…I was sure it was nothing good. He sat behind me as always. I turned around and started talking to him: "Shiaoran, what did you want to tell me?"

"I want to tell in recess."

"Well, OK…" I had the feeling that he didn't want to talk with me a lot…it seemed he was sad, that he didn't want to talk with me…that he tried to ignore me.

"Shiaoran, what's wrong? You seem…sad."

"It's nothing."

"But Li, I—"

"It's nothing!"

"OK, OK…" I said again, and I turned around, sadly. Why was he evading me? He wasn't like that the night before yesterday, no way. Suddenly, I felt some fingers in my hair, and then I discovered that Shiaoran was playing with it.

"I'm sorry Sakura for not greeting you. Good morning!" He said in his kind voice as always, though there was something hidden in that tone.

"Good morning." I responded without turning to see him, smiling to myself. Whatever he was sad at, he was still trying to cheer me up and make me happy.

"Ready for school?" He asked me again with the trick-hidden-meaning of the kind tone.

"Yes, and thanks for the flower you gave me." I said getting out the beautiful flower he had given me.

"It's just that you have the beauty of millions of flowers, so I brought you this flower as a symbol of my gratitude."

"Gratitude?" I said, blushing after what he had said about me.

"Yes, I thank life that it has left me the chance to be at your side. It is the most precious thing in the world."

"Oooh, thanks Shiaoran." I said, blushing again.

"It is such a foolish thing not to put you at the first place of the 7 marvels of the world."

"Thanks." I said…I was feeling so foolish not to say cute things to Li, but I was so much blushing after his commentaries…he had that ability to make me feel like his princess. Oh my God, I loved him so much! I wanted so much to turn around, hug him and kiss him deeply, but there were so many people to put up that show, that I restrained to do it, and besides, the professor was just getting in the classroom.

…

I passed bored all day in the classes, while I caught Li throw me a note with the words I LOVE YOU and when the professor wasn't looking, he started to play with my hair again. At the final class before recess, I noticed him very disappointed. It was strange his change of behavior, but I hoped he would change. Finally, at recess, I followed him at the entrance of the school, were nobody gathered.

"OK, Li, what did you want to tell me?" I said, hoping for it to become all clear.

"Would you really consider it love if I and you are far?"

"Far? What do you mean?"

"Far from each other. Would you call it love, especially in our relationship?"

"Well, of course. You're the most valuable person in the world for me, Shiaoran."

"And you are for me too…but life isn't all fair at all, right?"

"What is the point you're getting at?"

"I'm getting off to Hong Kong again." Li said, and I could sense his eyes getting watery, as he quickly lowered his face, and I could feel myself too ready to cry…the world ended…there was no more happiness…and between I and Li, there stood a deep and scary silent.

"But I still want you to understand that…that I love you Sakura, and you know that it doesn't just stop there." He said in a crooked voice, still with his face lowered.

"Li…please don't go." I said, restraining myself not to cry.

"It was an order from my mother."

"When are you leaving?"

"In a week exactly, at this hour." There was another silence. I approached him, and lifted his head with his chin, and I saw his eyes all watery. I didn't want to see him sad. I now understood why he was acting so weird lately…he was just so sad to leave me alone. With his head raised, I approached his face and gave him a deep kiss that it was returned with pleasure by Li. It was the nicest of all our kisses yet. We finished, and we looked each other into our eyes.

"Even if you're far, I will write to you every single day of my life." I said, expecting my words to be true.

"I don't want to go Sakura…I don't want the same events to occur as they did last time…I don't want to see you a last time at the airport. I want to stay with you and love you!"

"I also want the same thing Li…but it seems though…that—"

"That I have to return? It's easy to say it, isn't it? You're not the one leaving the one you love!" I got astonished. Why was he acting like that? Was it like this when I started to shout because of him kissing a strange girl? I tried to seem calm, though I couldn't. I was afraid.

"Of course I am! Don't you see I love you more than my own life?"

"And then why don't you trust me as you should, as you said? How do I know you have really changed?"

"Please don't talk to me like that!" And I tackled him with a tight hug…and I hugged him tight and tight, crying over his clothes. I was so sad! Why did life have to be so unjust?!? I couldn't believe it. We were just so happy together, with my promise to not act jealous and trust him like I was his shadow following him everywhere, loving him. I felt his warm hand on my hair, but I didn't separated from his clothes. I didn't let go. I didn't want to let go.

"Sakura…I'm sorry, I…I don't know what to say." He began, hugging me back.

"Don't be sorry...you're a marvelous person, and all I want is to love you, even if we're afar!" I said in a cracked voice revealing all my feelings for him. Suddenly we separated and he cleaned my tears. Then he smiled: "In our last week, I'll make sure that we pass our happiest days of our lives!" And I believed him at that moment…I wanted those words to become true…but I wanted him to stay forever at my side…was it that I wanted to get him captive forever with me?...maybe, but…but I think it was because he's the most valuable person in the world for me…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – The Great Discussion (Li's PoV)**

I left Sakura in her house, and I said goodbye. I was so sad and happy at the same moment. Sad because I had to go and happy because I had a full week to stay at Sakura's side. Why had I lost control when I shouted at her at school? And I thought I was acting so romantic, and I shouted at her. She told me with a hug that she loved me, but that she had to do the chores in her house all day long, and she couldn't come with me. It was OK…I guess…

…

The next day it was Tuesday, and I was thinking that I would leave to Hong Kong in middle of the school, which was kind of cool, and it would be marvelous, if you hadn't got a girlfriend to leave here in Japan. That day I got to school earlier and I located Sakura at the yards, and she hugged me a "Good morning." And we walked together to school. I was impressed that nobody in school except Tomoyo and Mei Ling knew about our relationship, knowing Sakura who always talked about our relationship as something of whatever. We found Mei Ling and Tomoyo, and we started talking all. Sakura and I didn't say anything about me leaving, and neither did Mei Ling. When we came to a silence, Mei Ling called me: "Li, can we talk for a second over there?" She pointed at a corner of the school, so I nodded and accompanied her there.

"Li, did you tell Sakura we're going?"

"Yes."

"And how did she take it?"

"Badly, I guess."

"Well…at least she's informed. When did you tell her you would be back?"

"I didn't. I don't know if we're coming back."

"Of course we're coming back. Love doesn't work if lovers are far from each other."

"I know." I lied.

"And we _will_ come back. You just have to be patient. Maybe we'll come back in two months at least."

"Two months? Well, it's better than never."

"And Li…"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry about last time in the aquarium again."

"Don't worry. C'mon." I said grinning at her as we joined the girls again. And after some seconds later we got to the classroom, and the professor entered, and we began class like normal as ever. I noticed out that Sakura didn't speak or raised her hand in the whole class, which was weird. What was she thinking? Was she thinking about my departure? I don't know, and I didn't want to ask her. We continued silent like that all the classes, and she didn't turn to me or talked, and in the little bridge between the third and fourth class, which she didn't talk either, I asked: "Sakura, are you feeling OK?" She nodded, though she didn't say more. She had a dim looked on her face, like she was a living dead, like her body didn't have a soul, so I persisted.

"Sakura, really, could you tell me what is happening?"

"Nothing." She said with a very boring voice, without moving her head, without turning to me, without seeing her eyes.

"You know I love you, right?" I said, trying to make her feel better. If she was really thinking and worrying about my departure, then what I said was going to make her feel better, but she just nodded coldly again, so I surrendered.

And it was worst in recess…

"Tomoyo?" I said approaching to her who was sat on a bench with a sad face.

"Oh, hi Li. How may I help you?" She said, starting to smile.

"It's just that Sakura is acting so weird. Do you know why?"

"Well, that is what I'm trying to deduce. Why would she be so upset? She looks so empty."

"Yes."

"Haven't you two discussed something? Had a problem?"

"No…I…" I was thinking if I had to say the problem about me leaving…and yes…the only one who could help me was Daidoji. "I noticed her that I will have to leave to Hong Kong again."

"Uh? Why didn't you tell me that before?"

"Neither did Mei Ling, right? It's just that…I, personally, was too scared to tell anyone else than Sakura."

"Since when do you know you're leaving?"

"I was noticed the day before yesterday, right before going to bed. My mother called me and noticed me that I had to leave to Hong Kong in a week."

"Oh no…poor Sakura, that's why she's so depressed."

"But I tried to comfort her, but she seems like everything is lost. She looks empty like you said!"

"Well, you must understand that you are her most valuable person in the entire world, and knowing that you were going to go, destroyed her."

"But why doesn't she talk to me? Why doesn't she tell me her issues, so I can help her with them?"

"I don't know, but…maybe you should try speaking to her again."

"Alright."

"And you know what; would it be OK if I accompanied you?"

"It wouldn't be problem. Let's go." I stood up and handed her my hand to help her get up, and we went to a lonely place in the nowhere of the recess where we found Sakura there all alone, with her eyes in blank, like if she wasn't seeing something…she was like partially blind.

"Sakura…it's me, Li." Sakura turned to me slowly, and I could feel her looking at me, but her green bright eyes were now dry. She didn't answer.

"Please Sakura; you're starting to scare me, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." She said in a very weak voice, seeing to the trees.

"No, everything is wrong! Why are you acting like that?"

"Acting in what way?"

"Sakura, please, give me a smile. Be happy! Turn to be the Sakura I always knew."

"But I'm OK…" Her voice was weak, and she didn't change her coldness and emptiness in her.

"Maybe you should kiss her." Tomoyo said to me, and I thought it was a good idea. I breathed hard; I gripped her hand softly and began to kiss her. At first, she wasn't doing anything, but accepting weakly the kiss, until I felt her gripping my hand back, and then she started to kiss me back. I separated, and I saw glow in her eyes.

"It worked." Tomoyo said happily, and I also smiled. Suddenly, the bright eyes turned watery, and she began to cry. I quickly hugged her, and asked: "Sakura, what's wrong?"

"You…don't…love me."

"WHAT?!?" I asked surprised, astonished, separating, but still gripping her hand. I thought I had heard wrong...I hoped I had heard wrong.

"You don't care about me. Get your hand off of me!" She said pulling her hand out of mine, and she stood up, and so did I. Why was she acting like that?!?

"Sakura, I love you with my entire life!" I said loudly.

"No, you don't! If you really felt anything for me, you would stay here, and not run away as a coward!"

"NO, SAKURA, LISTEN TO ME, I LOV—" I felt like I was beneath the penguin slide again, with anger to explain her that only she was my life.

"NO!!! NO MORE LIES!!! I WON'T BELIEVE THEM!!!" She screamed horribly.

"THOSE AREN'T LIES!!!" I said, grabbing her steady from her shoulders.

"Don't touch me!" She said getting away, sidestepping.

"Sakura…why are you doing this to me?" My eyes were getting watery, but I resisted to cry.

"Me?!? ME?!?!?!? You're not the one leaving the one you love!!!"

"Of course I am!!!"

"No, you don't love me at all!!!"

"Sak—"

"Shut up! Those amber voice and that voice of yours is very identical to the ones' Shiaoran had…the real Shiaoran!!!"

"Saku—"

"You shut up!!! Leave me alone!!! You only want to torture me with false kisses and hugs, and pretend that you love me!!! You take me as a miserable puppet!!!"

"No, Sakur—"  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" She said as she pushed me, looking at me angrily.

"Sakura, please, understand that he really loves you!!!" Tomoyo said, looking both scared and worried to Sakura.

"And you, my stupid friend, don't get between this!!!" She said also pushing her.

"Sakura, please!!! You're breaking my heart!!!" I said quickly before she interrupted me, holding back my tears. I wanted to hug her and to stay there with her, but she wasn't Sakura...not anymore...

"NO!!! IT'S THE ENTIRE CONTRARY!!! YOU'RE THE ONE BREAKING MY HEART!!!"

"You're breaking your heart alone!" I said, starting to get angry.

"No, I'm not, a—"

"You're lying to yourself!"

"I AM N—"

"You're being a person I don't recognize anymore!!!" There was a deep silence, when we saw each other. Not with love, or at least one pick of happiness…she looked me with hatred...not like hatred really, but with unlikeness…and I saw her sadly and worried…

"I don't want to be with you anymore." I let Sakura continue. "I want to break up with you, you worthless heart breaker. I loved you, more than my life, and now I know I don't mean anything to you!!!"

"You mean everything to me, and every cell in my body doesn't live without you. There's no point in living if you don't exist." I said calmly.

"Romantic lies! What a great way to make a person stupid and control it! I hate you, Li Shiaoran, I HATE YOU!!!" She shouted at me, and I stood there…looking at her with indifference, while I saw her hatred and sad face. She began to cry, as she fell down to the ground, sobbing greatly. I kneeled down, and I didn't care about Tomoyo anymore…I handed my handkerchief again out, and I handed it to Sakura: "Here is the kerchief if you need it."

But she, without opening her eyes, hit the kerchief away, and threw it out. I stood up, facing reality: "There's no more need that I am in this school, or even in the world, if Sakura hates me, so I say goodbye. Tomoyo, please tell Mei Ling I expect her home." I walked away a little, and Tomoyo didn't make anything. Before leaving, I turned around and said: "Sakura…maybe you hate me with all your power, but I promise you…I will still follow you wherever you go…you ARE still the most valuable person in the world for me. Believe it or not, it's the whole unvanquished truth."

And I went away, pretending I didn't hear my love's cries, even if she is the most valuable person in the world for me…


	6. Chapter 6 and 6x

**Chapter 6 – The Departure (Sakura's PoV)**

OH MY GOD!!!!!!

I AM SO STUPID!!!!!!

SHOUTING AT HIM LIKE THAT!!!!!!

I AM SUCH A MONSTER!!!!!!

TO REJECT A LOVE LIKE THAT!!!!!!

I AM A SUCH AN UNWORTHY PERSON!!!!!!

And I continued torturing myself alone with truths and truths. I just couldn't believe what I had just done. After Li had gone away, I ran to the exit faster than him, forgetting all my things in school, I didn't care. I wanted to get to my house and cry all day, it didn't matter if anyone was seeing me. I was such unworthy…I was so miserable…I had just lost the love of my life by shouting bunch of lies to him…I was kind of possessed with a demon I wanted to annihilate at that second. And I stayed like that ignoring the world for a long time. I locked my door and Kero insisted to try to help him but I ignored him and continued crying. I continued like that on Wednesday, on Thursday and on Friday, without any news. Suddenly, at Saturday my cell rang for the one hundredth time, and this time I answered in a crooked voice: "Yes?"

"Sakura!!! You're worrying me sick!!! Where are you?!? Why did you escape your house?!?" Tomoyo said, and it was truth, I ran away from home because I had denied to eat all day in Tuesday, and in Wednesday, my father handed me food from under my door. In Thursday, he menaced me that he was going to break down the door if I didn't go out, and in Friday he broke it down, and I escaped from the window and went running to hide in the park.

"I'm in the park." I said calmly.

"You're just the same as Shiaoran! He hasn't come to school since you shouted at him! Why haven't you come? Why haven't you answered you cell phone?"

"Because I want to be alone."

"And Sakura, do you really believe the words you told Shiaoran?"

"No, not a single one…but I was possessed, and I am not worthy to see him again."

"Of course you are! And you heard him: you're still the one he loves, so that means he forgives you, so you can go to him and he will receive you with open arms!"

"You don't get it, right? Tomoyo, I called you stupid! I didn't mean that either, but I cannot even forgive myself."

"I know you didn't mean it! But why can't you forgive yourself if everyone has just forgiven you?"

"I hate myself more than everything."

"But everyone loves you!"

"I don't care!"

"Now you're gone, think of all the persons you would make sad!"

"I don't care!"

"Of course you care, but you don't accept it! Accept it, girl, and return with Shiaoran!"

"NO!" And I clicked off the cell phone and tossed it to the ground, breaking it to pieces. Now I thought of the words Shiaoran told: yes, he had said he still loved me, but those words were lies…right? I didn't know…but even if Li loved me, I was unworthy and filthy to see him! And I started to remember all the good things I had passed with Li, and I slept next to a river, because I had to escape the park from some policemen searching for me.

…

At Saturday, I cried at morning again, at the river, when suddenly a figure appeared. It wasn't Kero. I had shouted at him to stay at the room, and I had escaped, leaving the last thing I had communicated with behind and alone…the figure was that of a boy, who else but…Li?!?

"Sakura." He said sweetly and warm while he approached me as a curious child. I stood there frozen. He handed me a beautiful pink blossom, and I grabbed it slowly. Then he smiled at me and said: "I still love you. I've heard everything from Tomoyo…forgive yourself…leave the past behind." And I managed to say the words: "I...can't…" as hard as I could, but he didn't give up his smile. Instead he kneeled down to my level, where I was sat down like a rug doll. He then took my hand and held it…I was blushing for the first time since I left him. I wasn't moving, I couldn't. Then, he took a deep breathe and approached me and gave me a sweet hug. I couldn't move…I didn't want to move. He then, without letting me off, separated his face and got near mine's. He closed his eyes and started to kiss me.

I returned quickly the kiss with all my passion as I could, when suddenly I realized what was happening and separated. I used all my strength to get out of his arms, and he asked: "What's wrong?" And I told him with a strange voice: "I'm not worth it. Forget me; you deserve more than a jealous and exaggerated woman like me." And I ran away.

….

I continued escaping for an entire day, but Li surrounded at a dead end and said: "Please, Sakura let me talk!" If he wasn't going to learn by the easy way of "no" then I had to lie to him deeply, so he could really forget me and hate me: "No, Li, I hate you. I HATE YOU! Leave me alone, I don't want to be with you!"

"Maybe you don't want to be with me, but that's not the point: I want to be with you, Besides, I know you don't hate me Sakura, don't lie to yourself."

"I am not! Please Li, really, I HATE YOU!!!"

"You say "hate" like a simple word, you don't mean it. Besides, that kiss I received from your angel lips tell me you DO love me."

"I DON'T! I DON'T WANT TO LOVE YOU!!!"

"Yes you want!!! JUST SURRENDER!!!"

"NO!!!" And I started to run away, again, and this time I managed to run away all day, when I used the Fly card to fly away to an unknown and abandoned house.

…

It was Sunday night, and I was thinking horribly about that Li was going, and I passed all day deciding…yes, I knew that if I went with Shiaoran I would be happy, and he would be happy too, then…what would be the trouble? If I joined with him, everyone would be happy…but…did he really meant he forgave me? I mean, forgiving your girlfriend after screaming terrible things to you is almost impossible but Li…Li didn't know the meaning of impossible…that was one of the many things I liked about him…then, did I had to return? I had to try…I couldn't live like that anymore, escaping from anyone…so I decided all these positive things in the entire day. I returned to my track searching for Li, if he continued following me, but he didn't. I continued to search, until I decided to regretted breaking the pink cell phone, and I couldn't find Li…but I could see a lot of people heading to the airport. I saw my watch…oh no, it was 11am, and it was already Monday, when we got to recess…and Li was going today! I got up, and ran throughout all the airport, asking for the next flight to Hong Kong, and when I was noticed it was in gate 13, I went running and running. There, I managed to get 5 minutes before the plane got out…and I saw Li there, expecting, sitting.

"Li!" I shouted and called him, happy to say his name again freely.

"Sakura, you came back." He said, standing up, happily. I went to him, and just as Tomoyo had assured me, he received me with the arms open, and I went straight to him and hugged him. I didn't dare to look him in the eyes. I went running with all my force to him and I tackled him with a very tight hug, like if I didn't want him to go. I'm sure I was strangulating him, because he separated quickly for me, and I dared to look at his eyes. They were watery, with a true smile on his face. I started to cry of joy.

"Li, you don't know how much I regret the recent events. You don't know how much I love you. You don't know how much I need you. You don't know many things you should know." He saw me and kissed me in my forehead, and then he whipped my tears. "So, you really accept me…it was true…I can't believe how brave you are to forgive me for my foolishness." I said, starting to hug him again, this time, hugging him tighter.

"You're such a silly girl! I can't believe what you did!" Li said, with an angry tone, separating from me more brusquely, but I didn't care. I didn't get off the hold of him, but still, I started to hug gentler. "For first, you're telling truths." I said, smiling, and he calmed down, and smiled back.

"Are you sure you want to stay with me, because you can easily get a more worthy girl." I said.

"No, Sakura, I'm sure. Please, don't run away from home again, and don't put yourself in danger in my absence."

"Whatever you wish, my lovely, lovely, dear, forgiving Shiaoran."

"Thanks, my princess."

"All the ones of the flight to Hong Kong start boarding at gate 13." A voice said a megaphone.

"Well, that's me." Li said disappointed.

"Would you still accept a reminder?" I said.

"…sure." I got out from my back pack I brought from my room before escaping the teddy bear Li had given me. I handed it to him, and he took it confused: "Are you really giving me my reminder as a reminder?" He said shyly.

"Sure…why not?"

"Does this mean you don't need my reminder?"

"I don't need it to remember you, my prince. Wherever you heart is also is mine, so don't worry."

"Do you really think everything will be OK, Sakura?"

"I don't hope so, I know. I don't promise you anything, but I will sure try to stop being too much jealous or act like a desperate crazy woman. I would even do whatever you ask me, before you leave." Li smiled.

"Something I was going to tell you before you started to act so madly is that I may return in two months..."

"Two months? That's better than never!"

"It's just what I said."

"I really hoped to stay more at your side before you went away, but thanks to my foolishness, I made life unjust myself. I'm sorry again."

"You're forgiven, and besides, I'm going to get a little break away from you madness."

"Oh?" I said accepting the joke. "What happened to the so-romantic Li I thought I knew?"

"It went to the same place the sweet-not-crazy Sakura is." We both laughed, but Li had to go.

"I'm grateful those two parts of our personalities returned. OK, my precious angel, I'm afraid I have to go. Bye."

"Would you still accept a last kiss from an unworthy and filthy girl like me for a goodbye?" I suggested, blushing. He nodded slowly, and we gave our last kiss. I kissed him desperately, like if I needed that kiss with my life. I started hard, but I started to soften, because Shiaoran was going sweetly, as always…so gentle, so loving. And then we gave tight hug while kissing…I began to cry again, and we separated. I put my head on his chest, sobbing over his clothes. I was so sad and happy at the same time. I was at the arms of my love again, with no problems, as he had forgiven for all the stupid things I had said to him…he was indeed special…I couldn't believe he was still with me…with that heart of his, he could get another girl in a second…and still, he chose the most jealous and unwanted girlfriend of all…and I thank him for that. We looked each other in the eyes, and he cleaned my tears with a beautiful smiled that reflected the words: "Everything will be alright, I'll be back, please give me your smile before leaving." That's how I deduced it, and I gave a little smile. "Have I told you how beautiful your eyes are?" He said, but I didn't want to answer…I just wanted to see his amber beautiful eyes, and his perfect face…and he gave me quick kiss as he waved me a goodbye and he got to his plain…he was going out, and he was returning in 2 months…why? Well, at least we were boyfriends again, with no issues. It's because he's the most valuable person in the world for me…

The next chapter is like a vague chapter of what happens in Li's absence.

_**Chapter 6x – Afar Love (Sakura's PoV)**_

I returned home, with a smile. I still had my love, and I hadn't lost it…and I was home again, back…with no shame. I shouted: "Dad…I'm back." And a figure came rushing to me, and my dad came and hugged me. "Sakura!!!" He said in an angry and happy tone. "Dad, let's go to the living room. I'll explain you everything there." And went there, and I told him everything…about Li.

"Oh, Sakura, I…I didn't imagine it."

"But it's OK. I got to the airport in time and waved him a goodbye, and he forgave me! That's the most impressive thing of the story." And I continued, talking and talking. Toya was out for work…I went to my bedroom to see Kero as a puppet on my bed. He got astonished to see me, and we talked again. He shouted at me too, but after explaining and all, he finished up like my dad, with a happy face.

"Sakura, I can't believe you shouted him those horrid things."

"I can't either."

"Li is a good boy." That was something I didn't expect from Kero. I slept in my warm bed happily that night, thinking about Li.

…

I received a letter after coming from school that Tuesday…everybody asked why I hadn't come to school, and I told everyone because I was on vacation, and they asked me if I had brought Li with me, because he hadn't came to school the same days I hadn't come, and though I thought: "I would love that he had accompanied me." I told my friends that I didn't know why he had not gone to school, but I did tell them that Shiaoran was in Hong Kong.

Well, about the letter…it was from Shiaoran:

_Dear Sakura,_

_Sakura, I have already gotten to Hong Kong, and I miss you more than ever…I can't believe how much it costs to send a letter from here to Japan, but my sisters give me the money. Since I told them it was for you (my girlfriend) they all started to go mad and lent me money, and they started asking me questions about you and us._

_I hope you are doing well in Japan, returning to your common life at your house and at school. I hope you continue to be as the noble angel you are, and thanks for the reminder. (I don't why did you gave it back. Didn't you like it? Was my bear too ugly?) Every time I see it, I remember your smile…I hope I could see you again. I don't know if my heart will endure 2 months without seeing you, my princess…it is very hard. Please don't reply the letter right now…you would only waste money, and I don't want that. Well…I don't know what else to write…well…_

_I have good news! Ignore the thing I put about the 2 months ago. I would erase it, but you see I am writing this letter with pen. I've just been notified that I may go for a vacation in a month. Incredible! I just hope it's true!_

_Well, I don't know what else to say…I'm sorry how I made you feel when I told you I was going, but…think of what might have happened if I hadn't tell you? Well, I love you so much my beautiful angel princess, I hope that wee see soon, and I hope that my hand stops aching from so much writing. Ow!_

_With lots of love, hugs and kisses,_

_Shiaoran Li_

I hugged the letter (I really thought it was Shiaoran) and an incredible joy came out from me. Also, in the letter, there was the address where Li was, so I could write him a letter as well. I didn't care how much it cost. My love for him won any numbers. So I started writing MY letter in a pink paper, trying to ignore the tons of homework I had. I started to write:

_Really dear Li,_

_I don't care how much it costs the letter to be sent to you, even if I waste all my savings. Everyone in school misses you, but I specially miss so much more. And the thing you wrote about the bear are lies, I did love it, and besides, I do have a reminder: the pink rose you gave me…every time I see it and smell it, I remember your beautiful face and amber eyes. To tell you what's about here in Japan, Tomoyo and I are back being friends, even though I called her…well, you know. Tomoyo is a real friend._

_Please don't miss me…you're only wasting time in thinking about me, so please don't. I hope you are getting fun in Hong Kong. Please say hello to Mei Long from my part. Kero told you that you were a good boy, which is strange. I thought he didn't like you, but it seems everything turned OK, and he also sends you lots of hellos._

_You don't know how much I miss your warm hugs and your kisses…they all made my life to be better, but I still know that you're OK, though I don't know if you're happy. If you're happy, I'm happy. So, if you feel the same toward me, then, I will tell you I'm happy because I know I'm writing to you. I will save your letter forever my dear, lovely Shiaoran…my prince…so please in your next letter write if you're feeling happy!_

_I am grateful of how much you can forgive from a girl like me. I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you and love you so much you don't imagine. I would do or give anything for you. Really, even my life…but let's stop being so dramatic for a moment. Here, I'll send you a picture of me, and when you send me another letter, I want to see pictures of you. Deal?_

_Well…that would be all, my dear, lovely Shiaoran. Thanks for letting me love you._

_With tons of unimaginable love, hugs and kisses,_

_Shiaoran's Girl_

I wanted to end the letter just like that. I was her girl. I was all his. I wanted him forever. I grabbed a picture of me Kero had taken me while I was writing a letter, and the things that Kero said, about giving him hellos, were…were not at all truth, but I wanted him to feel loved. With that, I went to the building where they send the letters to long distances, and I got astonished for the prize. I almost gave up all my savings. The 80% to be exact, more or less. But I didn't care. With that, I went skating home, brushing the pink flower Li had given me in my face, remembering his love…

And we continued three weeks like that…


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – Shiaoran's Return (Li's PoV)**

I was so, so hurt. I slowly got out of the taxi, and I helped Mei Ling get out it too. I paid the fee and the taxi went away, leaving both of us alone outside the house of Sakura Kinomoto.

I approached the door and knocked.

Nothing.

I knocked again, and almost immediately, the door opened, to show Sakura's face showing out the door. Yes, she was perfectly as I had remembered since the day I didn't see her. She stood there with a surprising face, and she tried to say something. She was so pale…even though I was sad, I gave a wide smile when I saw her…suddenly she launched and hugged me.

"Shiaoran, you're back, YOU'RE BACK!!!"

"Hello, Sakura."

"I LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, AND LOVE YOU!!!"

"Me too."

"But…what brings you here?" She said, separating. "I thought you weren't coming until the classes had a break. It's not that I'm not happy to see you, but I'm…interested." It was true. I had come to Japan 3 weeks after I left in my plain, and in the recent letters, she told me that when I was going to get supposedly back, her classes would have the Christmas vacations.

"Can we talk inside?" I asked.

"Well, sure, there's no one home."

Sakura opened more the door and me and Mei Ling entered. We passed to the living room and there, we sat when Sakura appeared and sat too.

"I'm so happy you're back Shiaoran." Sakura said to me, hugging my arm.

"Sakura, I really need to talk to you." I let go off her.

"OK, go on." She said kind of disappointed.

"My mother…she just died."

The notice struck Sakura like a hook to the stomach. She was very confused with a strange look. She suddenly said with her wet eyes: "I'm sorry."

"And I've come here to…I mean we…we don't have home there in Hong Kong, and besides, we have friends here in Japan, so we thought of staying here."

"For the rest of your lives?" She asked in a low voice.

"Yes, it could be said. And we've come to your house to see if we could host here until we get enough money to buy us a house."

"Do you have money with you?" She said even lower, and suddenly she looked as he regretted asking that. I didn't expect this. I remembered a very noble and good-natured Sakura. Well, she was growing up, and people change, but that question seemed a bit…not like her.

"Not the necessary." I said, lying. I didn't even have a yen.

"Sure you can stay!" She said, but still, she didn't smile.

"Thanks Sakura." At least, an original answer from what I remember of Sakura.

"Do you want me to make some tea?" She suggested, standing up.

"Well, thank you very much, we would love some." And she went away, walking to the kitchen. Wow. I felt my heart bump harder and harder…and I felt very stupid. The feeling of foolishness took over my sadness. Since when does a boy enter his girlfriend's house after a whole month of not seeing, and asks her to stay at her home, after telling her the boy's mother is dead? The idea made me laugh in my mind, and smile. It is very ironic.

Mei Ling hadn't spoken a word since my mother died. I didn't understand why she had accompanied me to Japan, and why she was feeling so miserable, if she was just her aunt. I felt very sad, but she looked even sadder.

"Mei Ling…are you OK?" I asked. She was looking down, with a sad face.

"Yes, I'm fine." And a waiting silence overcame, until I had the idea to help Sakura prepare the tea. So, I advised Mei Ling I was going to help her, she nodded, and I went to the kitchen. There, I found her preparing the tea.

"Sakura, may I help you with the tea?" I asked.

"No, Li, please wait." She said kindly, blushing. Wow, she was indeed more beautiful…or maybe I had lost some small details of her face in my mind. Her beautiful emerald eyes reflected mines, when suddenly she blushed, and continued making the tea. Blushing…I had never seen her blushing since the day I left her…but what I wanted more to see her do was to laugh.

"I'm sorry again about your mother, Shiaoran. She was a kind woman." She said in a crooked voice, without looking at me.

"Don't be sorry. Still, between you and me, I think Mei Ling is feeling worst than me." I whispered her, getting near her, trying to not call Mei Ling's attention.

"I can't imagine why." She said, and she got 3 steps far from me.

"I loved the letters you sent me." I said, smiling, remembering those good days I read every milligram of ink in her pink letters.

"Thank you, I also loved yours." She said, still not seeing me.

"Are you feeling uncomfortable with me near?" I asked, trying to see if it was me that was making her feel that way.

"No, of course not, I'm very happy you're back." She said, smiling, and though she turned to me, she turned away fast.

"Is it just my imagination, or are you prettier?" I asked gently, smiling at her. She blushed, but still continued preparing the tea: "It must be your imagination, Li." She said. I turned away, seeing around the house…some things had changed, some not.

"Sakura…" I said out loud, but I wasn't going to ask anything, I was just thinking of her, looking out the window the sunset.

"What's wrong?"

"No, never mind."

"Li, what were you going to say me?"

"Well…" I tried to invent something, and I did quickly. "And Kero? Is he upstairs?"

"Well…I…he's occupied."

"Occupied?"

"Yes, occupied. OK, the tea is ready."

"Oh, please let me help you with that." I said, going to her, helping her with the tea.

"No, let me Li, please." Accidentally, we threw down a spoon, and I and Sakura went to grab it, and we grabbed it at the same time. In the ground, we saw each other in the eyes…Sakura with those big shiny emeralds…suddenly, she launched at me, and threw me to the ground, hugging me.

"You don't know how much I missed you Shiaoran!" She said, with a desperate tone in her voice.

"Sakura!" I said, trying to get up, but I could not.

"You come here back to my life…and you don't even greet me with a kiss?" She said, and she separated, our faces inches afar. I could see pink spots on her face. Suddenly, she started to kiss me with passions, and I kissed her back after I got astonished for seconds, enjoying kissing her again after a long, alone and miserable time.

…

"C'mon Mei Ling, play this videogame, it is cool!" I said, inviting her to play. She was laid on Sakura's bedroom, reading a red book. We were in my love's room. It was nightfall. Sakura had gone downstairs to tell his father about us staying here. I suggested going with her, but she obliged me to stay here. Kero hadn't appeared in her room. If he was occupied, he wasn't in Sakura's house. Weird. Mei Ling shook her head, still focusing on her book.

"OK, I'm back." Sakura said opening and then closing the door. "My father said you could stay here as long as you want, but you will be my responsibility, as for my brother, well…he kind of disagrees, but you know him, right Li? Besides, he doesn't care."

"Are you sure?" I asked worried.

"I'm sure." She said, beaming at me, and I smiled her back. Then, some electronic sounds came from the TV. I turned to it, and NO! I had lost another life against the Red-Cap Dragon.

"Sakura, how do I destroy the Red-Cap Dragon?" I asked, starting to play again.

"Pass me the controller." I paused the game, gave her the controller, and in seconds, she had destroyed the dragon. She gave me the control back, and I just stayed there, astonished.

"Guess you aren't good in videogames, uh, Li?" Mei Ling asked, seeing at me with an evil smile. Her attitude changed, and I was happy about that. And I couldn't believe she was better in videogames than me. Mei Ling and Sakura were both as twice a good player than me. I turned off the game and stood up: "Sakura, where will I sleep?"

"Didn't you br—"

"Yes, we brought the sleeping bags, but where would you want me to sleep?"

"Pick any place, there's no problem. But I would like if you slept in my bed with me."

"What?"

"Oh, c'mon Li. Couples are supposed to sleep together in the same bed, hugged together."

"But Sakura, this is your house…what would you father think?"

"Well, do whatever you want then." She didn't look disappointed, but I did…I got myself aside the wardrobe. It looked comfy there. Mei Ling got to sleep near the TV, and Sakura was the last in change pajamas, and she went to bed, after turning off the lights.

I couldn't believe I was sleeping just a few meters from Sakura's bed. I could hear her rhythmical and pretty breathing. I wanted to have accepted her invitation…but I knew that the father would be angry if he saw me there, and I didn't want problems. I was grateful that I got to be with Sakura, because she's the most valuable person in the world for me…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 – Easy Tears (Sakura's PoV)**

NOTE: Thanks for the reviews. This is where the action part begins...enjoy...

I woke up, and I was seeing my ceiling. I quickly turned to my left if I could see Shiaoran, but he was out of bed, but Mei Ling still remained sleeping. I got up, in silence, and I could hear noises at the floor below, so I went down to check. And there I saw them: Li, in pajamas, talking with my father. Suddenly, Li noticed me and my father did too.

"Oh Sakura, you're awake. Enjoying you're free days?" My father asked, and I nodded happily. It was Wednesday, and I wasn't going to school until next Monday. How cool!

"Good morning dad…and Li." I said, winking an eye to Li while my father didn't see me.

"Good morning." He replied.

"Li has told me everything, and he's very polite. It will be an honor giving such a kind boy in the house." My dad said, beaming at Li.

"The pleasure is entirely mine, sir." He said, kindly too.

"OK, we'll wait until Mei Ling gets up, and I'll make breakfast for all of you. What do you think?"

"You're very kind to give us breakfast sir."

"Thank you. Meanwhile, you could do whatever you want." Dad said looking at me and Shiaoran.

"Maybe we can go see TV." I suggested, and Li nodded smiling. I lead him to the living room and I grabbed the remote control and I turned on the TV while I sat next to Li, close to him. I started to change channels.

"See whatever you want Sakura, it doesn't matter." Li said, and he put an arm around me, and I looked at him smiling. I wanted to kiss him again…our faces were inches afar…what was the problem? We had kissed before…but this time, I was more worried about the kiss. Still, Li didn't look he wanted to kiss me, so I turned around to the TV. I changed channels faster, until I stopped at the news channel. But I wasn't seeing it, and neither was Li. We were both looking at each other, just seeing each other in the eyes, smiling…we weren't neither talking, nor making signs either. I was just appreciating his beautifulness.

"Thanks for introducing myself to my dad and telling him everything." I said, finally.

"I had to do that. I hope I am not bothering any of you." He said.

"I still can't understand why you didn't want to sleep with me."

"Sakura—"

"I was so cold, trying to ask you again to sleep with me. I needed a hug."

"But Sakura, I'm sure you would be very uncomfortable with someone at that small bed."

"No, it is the entire contrary…I love you Shiaoran. Really. You have no idea. Thanks…thanks for returning." And I laid my head in his chest. "You don't know how much I missed you…at school I always hoped you would appear at the door. At the park, I always tried to identify you in middle of the entire crowd. I felt a horrible emptiness when you were gone…you don't have idea." Some tears were falling down my cheeks.

"Sakura, what's wrong?!?" Li asked me, startled.

"Nothing, I just have easy tears…it just that I'm so glad you're back." And I started to hug him. "Why did you go?"

"It was an order from my mother." But it seemed that Li put a strange tone at the last two words, and I suddenly regretted asking that stupid question. Why did I have to remind him of his mother?!? How stupid! And that made me cry harder on his clothes. I didn't let go…I want to pass all my life like that.

"I love you too…too much, Sakura. Please don't cry." He said, playing with my hair. I loved it when he did that. I had been so lonely since Kero left…yes. One week ago, he said he sensed a dark magic, and he went away, promising he would be back, but he hadn't returned.

"You're dad is a great gentleman." He said, obviously trying to change the subject.

"And cooker. You will eat my dad's breakfast and you'll be fascinated."

"No doubt. Please Sakura, I don't want to see you sad."

"I am happier than ever Li…" And I rested there, seeing TV in his lap, while he played with my hair, what I loved the most, what characterized my boyfriend the most. After what I've said, he had not found words to respond me. I giggled after he silenced, searching the words.

Finally, Mei Ling went to meet my father, and I stood up as well as Li, and we went to the kitchen, where dad was already serving Mei Ling. We sat down, and he gave us our breakfast and we started eating. As to be expected, Li, after taking the first bite of his eggs, said: "They're delicious sir."

"Thank you." Dad replied smiling at him. "I'm glad you like them."

We all ate in silence, and Li was the first one to finish. He insisted dad that he had to clean his dishes, but dad took them away, and Li asked permission to see the news, and dad nodded gracefully. Me and Mei Ling continued eating in silence, until she talked: "How's Tomoyo?"

"She's great. What has been of your life in Hong Kong?" I almost choked after saying. Did I have a switch that made me ask sad and stupid things or what?

"Pretty well, I guess…" She said coldly.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" She said it even more coldly.

"Forget it."

"Nothing strange has happened?"

"No. Since I trapped you-know-what, nothing has happened." I said it that way because my dad was still there, washing the dishes.

"And your brother?"

"He's working at a burgers' store."

"That is cool."

"Yeah, I guess…"

Suddenly, Li came rushing in: "Sakura, come see the news!" He turned back and ran to the living room, and I followed him. There, in the news, something strange was happening.

_As our sources tell us, there is no even a clue how could that building disappear. It's like magic._

"Do you recognize it's…you know what?" Li asked. My heart bumped heart, not again. No, no...no more suffering, please…

"I hope not." I said. Suddenly, the phone rang, and I shouted: "I'll get it." I felt a relief, for a time, when I took the phone: "Hello?"

"Sakura, good to hear you."

"Eriol?"

"You already know it's bad news, right?" I didn't answer…my heart bumped faster than before.

"You have seen the news I expect, for your voice tone…what you saw there it isn't Clow's magic, but from another magician. Someone has learned the path of magic, and he or she is using it badly. Sakura, his or her magic is very powerful, just seeing how he vanished that building it's incredible, so you better take care of him…or her. Sakura, you must do this: this magician is very dangerous…if you see him or her, run, don't confront him. He could beat you. Remember: you see the magician, run!"

"What can I do?" I said, scared.

"I don't have instructions or predictions Sakura. This new threat is harder, because we don't know what you're facing."

"So I evade him or attack him?"

"Face him when you're ready..."

"I can't do this."

"You can't? Maybe with Li's help you maybe able to complete your task."

"How do you know he's here?" He didn't answer. "Eriol? Eriol!" The phone had died…a new threat…and this time…it was going to be harder…

"What a happy thing did Eriol say?" Li said sarcastically with a serious face.

"A magician is at large…an evil one…and…I don't know if we can beat him…" Li approached me and grabbed my shoulders.

"I know we, together, can."

"Do you hope we will be able to?"

"I don't hope. I know it." And he hugged me…his hug was like a shot of courage through my body like an electric current…I loved him…I needed him…I longed him…

"I love you. Thanks…thanks to be with me."

"Don't mention it."

I don't need to remind you, or to tell you why, he is the most valuable person in the world for me…


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 – The New Magician's Cards (Li's PoV)**

"Sakura, get out of there!!!"

"I can't, it has me!"

"No, leave her alone!"

"Shiaoran, help me, please!"

"Sakura, no!" But her voice and face vanished.

…

I woke up, startled. I was sweating, and I was breathing hard. I couldn't see anything, it was all dark in Sakura's room…Sakura's room…so she was still alive, wasn't she? I turned to her bed, and I could see just a dark figure on her bed. I tried to hear her beautiful breathing, but it was silenced by mine that was quick and heavy. I breathed hard, holding my air in, and then, I could hear her breathing. She was alive, I knew it.

But what was that strange dream I had? Where had Sakura go? Why was she screaming for help? And most important, why wasn't I able to help her? She had gone because of my fault…I couldn't do anything…but…should I forget that dream? So, I told myself a yes, and returned to my sleeping bag, facing Sakura, until I closed my eyes again.

…

"Shiaoran, Shiaoran, wake up." I opened my eyes quickly. I couldn't sleep. I saw Sakura's beautiful eyes, and the daylight. She had whispered me that I had to wake up.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, sitting up. I took a glance at Mei Ling's bed. "Where's Mei Ling?"

"She has gone to buy some things, very kind of her." Sakura said, with a sad face.

"Why are you sad?" I asked her, worried.

"I'm not sad, I'm…just tired…and worried."

"Why?"

"Last night, I…I had a dream where you and I appeared…it was horrible."

"Tell me more." I said skipping heart beats. What if she dreamed the same thing I did?

"I dreamed that something strange had taken you, and that you shouted for help, but I couldn't rescue. I couldn't." Oh no…yes…it was what I feared the most…but I decided to keep it from her.

"It was just a bad dream Sakura." I said, but I noticed something strange in my voice, like I was lying. I think Sakura didn't notice.

"I'm afraid."

"There's nothing to be afraid of. You're here with me." That is what I thought to say to calm her down. She still seemed worried though. "C'mon, give me a good morning hug." I said, and she smiled, and we hugged tightly.

…

Those times were the glorious days. Me, Sakura, Mei Ling and Tomoyo, gathered in place and we talked about many stuff, that made me feel home again. I even forgot about the strange dream events. I was happy at that time. Mei Ling and I got ourselves a work at a flowers store, and we started to get money. Sakura also worked there, and she tried to give me the money we had, but I denied hardly, though she threatened me and hit me in my shoulder, and I accepted to receive her money. She said it was a sorry for the stupid things she did before I left.

Suddenly, before I expected, it was Sunday, and Sakura's father and I had been talking about if me and Mei Ling would go to school, but I decided that I had to work in the store as fast as I could. The fastest we could make money, the fastest we would buy an own house. Sakura was disappointed to not see me in class, but I tried to lighten her up with cute things, and she got happy. We used our last Sunday minutes together, with Mei Ling, seeing a sad movie about a ship that went down the sea, and aboard there were two new lovers (I could say the perfect name of the movie, but I read the rules, and I can't, too bad, but I think you deduce the movie) and we were seeing it because it was supposedly very famous.

I was enjoying the chilly and delicious popcorns, embracing Sakura. Suddenly, I fell asleep...

I woke up because Sakura was moving, and I heard her low sobs as well as Mei Ling's. I turned to see her both, and then to the TV, to see where a woman was talking to a frozen man in middle of the sea. Oh, I had lost the whole plot of the story. Finally it ended, and we went both to the room, discussing the movie. Gladly, Sakura didn't notice I slept in the movie. We all got changed, and I went into my sleeping bag, after I kissed Sakura a good night. She insisted again that I had to sleep with her, but I denied as always. And I closed my eyes to sleep…

…

I woke up, yawning. Suddenly, I felt something beside me.

"Sakura!" I said startled at her, and she suddenly woke up, startled too: "What? What happened?" She turned around to see me.

"Sakura, what are you doing in my sleeping bag?"

"Li, shut up!" Mei Ling said with a tiring voice. She was still asleep, so we started to talk in whispers.

"I had that horrible dream again." She said, with a sad innocent face. "And I couldn't sleep, so I…well, you know the rest, right?"

"Right…well, what time is it? Aren't you supposed to go to school?"

"Oh, right." She stood up, and started opening her drawers to get her uniform. "You know, you sounded like you want to get rid of me." She said, smiling.

"Sorry, princess." I said. I knew she loved that I called her princess. She blushed and went to the bathroom to change up. And in some 20 minutes, she was gone. I got to the door and we both said goodbye with a kiss, and she went away skating beautifully.

"Li, don't you want to eat?" Her father asked.

"It would be very kind from you sir, I would sure love to eat from your delicious food." And Mei Ling and I ate eggs, and we waited an hour seeing TV for our job place to open. Finally, we saw our watches, and we decided to go, and we started working with the flowers. The whole day was as always, just that I didn't have the company of Sakura, though Mei Ling was a great help to me. We both laughed a lot in the work, and we finished happily. We received our payment, and we walked together to the Tomoeda School. Mei Ling and I had seen a little house not far from Sakura's, and it was cheap and perfect for them, but we had only collected one quarter for what the house cost, even with Sakura's help

We met Sakura and Tomoyo in the way, and we returned home talking, but we decided to go to the park to get some fun. There, we didn't make any activities, but we talked a lot as always, until…

…something dreadful happened…

I sensed a figure behind me. I turned around below the penguin slide to see what it was, and it was a big dark, dark shadow, and it entered so fast to the slide and grabbed Sakura. I reacted quickly and pursued the strange shadow, and I could hear Sakura's screams of help. All this happened in less than a second…what was that strange dark creature, and why had it taken Sakura…an easy explanation: she was the Mistress of the Cards, the original Cardcaptor.

I couldn't use my sword, because I had left it in Sakura's house, camouflaged as two big black shiny balls linked together by a red thread. Sakura had asked me why had I brought it, and I told her that if something happened. Ironic it was that I had left it away. I still ran as fast as I could, until I saw the shadow get to a sudden stop, and then it dashed to me. Sakura was still screaming. I tried to calculate, and when the shadow was going to hit me, I sidestepped, but grabbed Sakura's foot, and as I had expected, the shadow let go of her thanks to me. I got up the floor helping Sakura, though we were hurt. I was expecting for that monster to return.

"Li, what was that thing?" Suddenly, I heard a strange dark magical sound, all around us. I turned around, and I big and mysterious red barrier had appeared around us making a circle. A magic barrier. Suddenly, the shadow appeared above us.

"Sakura, use your Staff." She got out her key, and summoned the Cardcaptor Staff quickly. The shadow went descending quickly to us.

"Watch out!" I cried as we sidestepped evading the shadow.

"Li! Sakura!" Tomoyo and Mei Ling shouted, running to the barrier.

"Don't touch the barrier!" I cried, but it was too late. Mei Ling touched it with the hand, and she screamed as he hid her hand under her and crouched. What had the barrier done to her? I couldn't think as I felt a powerful hit in my chest. The shadow had hit me. I went flying away, and hit the barrier with all my back. I screamed, and fell down to the ground, groaning. The barrier had burned me all my back. Still, I heard Sakura's voice trying to fight with the shadow. I stood up, refusing the pain, but for what? The shadow had made itself a giant humanoid, just that it was totally dark, and it had grabbed and captured Sakura with one hand. The other was dashing to me, and even though I managed to evade it firstly, it got me, and pulled me to the shadow.

Suddenly, the shadow exploded, and I couldn't see more than darkness for some seconds. Suddenly, I could see something pink around me. I was inside a giant pink crystal. I turned to my left, and Sakura was the same. But in the middle of us, someone was there…a man…a blue-haired tall man, with ancient robes, and a magic staff, just like Eriol's. Indeed, this man looked like Eriol, just that his was the double in size, and he had no glasses that could cover his red evil eyes. He laughed evilly, and with a movement of his staff, I felt the crystal, which was in middle of the air floating, go and get besides Sakura's crystal. We were together, facing the taller Eriol version with an eviler face man.

"Cardcaptor Sakura, I know all about you." He said in a very deep and demon voice. "You contain unimaginable magic power in those cards of yours, and I want them, and you will give them to me." Sakura shook her head, looking angrily at the magician…the new evil magician.

But a hope overcame.

Kero in his beast and might form, Yue, and Eriol, were coming this way flying to the magician. Kero shot a fireball, Yue a light arrow, and Eriol some magic beams to the magician, but the magician evaded them, and the powers hit Sakura and me, and the crystals broke. We fell down to the ground, hurt. I saw up, and saw a powerful magic battle between the three newcomers and the magician. Suddenly, Eriol started doing some movements with his staff, and he had the seal of Clow below him, as well as his others friends, and they all shot a powerful light and white beam that hit the magician. But a loud crack was sound.

I saw the beam was reflected to Sakura, and it hit her in her staff at first, and I heard a ferocious magic light sound and a blinding one too.

I opened my eyes as fast as I could, and Sakura was intact, though her staff was not with her, nor in the floor. It had vanished…no…it had been replaced to a light giant ball in front of her. I looked up, and the battle continued. But the magician was in the ground, and before any of the newcomers could touch him, he magically vanished. I felt relieved.

"Sakura, my love, are you OK?" I asked her worriedly.

"Yes, are you OK?"

"I'm fine. What the hell did you do to save yourself from that light beam?" I asked angrily. I was so scared of what might have happened to Sakura. What if in 5 seconds, she would fall to the ground…no, I had to know if she was really fine.

"Nothing, I swear…my Staff protected me, and—"

"It transformed into this light ball." Eriol finished for her, as he landed on the floor. I wanted to ask him questions, but he raised his hand to make me stay quite as he continued to explain: "The one we encountered was the magician. Sakura…you almost perish, for our fault, but it seems the Staff protected you, and it turned to this portal."

"Portal?" She asked, impressed.

"I will explain as easy as you can understand: the beam hit the Staff, and it went through your body, copying 5 important and powerful things from you that you still preserve. Then, these 5 things escaped from the Wand, but the Wand couldn't deal with such magical power that it decided to take these powers to another world…this portal you see here will take you to that world, and because the powers passed through the Staff, what do you think the powers were converted to?"

"To cards?" I asked, and he nodded.

"You have to go inside, and recover those 5 cards, and then, you'll have the power enough to reborn your Star Staff. We need that Wand so we can defeat the magician once and for all, so you have to do this quick. In this world, Yue, Kero and me will take care from that magician, while you search for those cards. When you get your Staff back, the 5 things you get will be converted as cards, so you can also use them as normal Clow Cards that will surely help us defeat that magician."

"But what powers do those cards hold?" I asked putting attention to his explanation.

"I don't know. They were copied from Sakura. Maybe her most important feelings, experiences, fears, you will discover it."

"So we have to enter that world and get these 5 cards to recover the Staff and like that, beat the magician?" I asked.

"Exactly."

"How will we be able to get back?" Sakura asked.

"If your Staff had the power to create a portal shattering, then, I'm sure it'll make another one to get here without shattering, because I hope it becomes stronger. So, I think your objectives are clear?" Sakura and I nodded. Suddenly, a great sound was heard behind us, and we all turned around to see the magician appear screaming.

"Now! Enter!" Eriol said, jumping air, ready to face the magician. We were going into it when Kero interrupted us: "Kid, you'll need this!" And he threw me my sword. "Thanks." I said, catching it. Sakura and I both held hands: "At three." She said. "One…two…three!!!" And we jumped into the portal…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Hard for the First Card (Sakura's PoV) Forget

I opened my eyes. The trip to the strange dimension had been strange…I felt like I didn't weigh anything, and then I suddenly felt heavy and capable of my senses again. We were seeing something bright…one of the dimension's suns, or the only one? The sky was a colorful blue…and there were also puffy clouds. I sat up, and I saw my surroundings…I was in middle of an empty spot of a green forest. Everything…everything indicated we were still in Earth. I turned to my right, where I felt Li's hand. There, I was seeing him resting. He was so beautiful when he rested.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and saw mine's first of all: "You OK?" He asked me.

"Alright. You?"

"Fine, as well."

"Where are we?"

"This looks just like Earth…we're in a forest clearly, but…do you think we're really in the other world?"

"I don't know, but my guess would be that yes."

"Well then, we should check for the strange new cards. Let's walk."

"Yes." And I followed him, as we entered the woods.

"Sakura, tell me if you feel a presence or something, OK?" He asked to me sweetly, turning to me, and I nodded. In the way, we were discussing of what might have happened to Eriol, Yue, and Kero…what could have happened to all of them? Did they beat the magician, or was it the entire contrary?

Suddenly, we made it to a village. We entered, and all the people looked normal, though they looked like if it we had returned a thousand years from Earth, it was all medieval-like.

"Li, am I bothering you?" I asked.

"No, how can you ask that?"

"Because I don't have a weapon. I don't have powers. I won't do anything."

"Which is better, because you won't get harmed."

"So you think I'm useless?"

"No, of course not!"

"Don't lie. Let me tell you that yes: I'm useless this time. And I want to ask you: what are you going to do with me?"

"Do you want to accompany me? There is no other way."

"Of course there is."

"Accompanying me is the safest thing until we find someone of our trust in this world, OK? Now, let's ignore that subject and ask for---" Li couldn't finish, as something was getting near the village from the sky. I turned to see up, and there, that something was a green beautiful woman, gliding in air, just that she had closed eyes, and she didn't seem to open them.

"Is a card, Sakura!" Li told me, shaking me.

"What are we going to do? Eriol didn't tell us how to get the card without my Staff."

"You're right…but we can't let that card harm these people." And he grabbed his two black balls with the red thread joining them and summoned his sword.

"But how do you know this card will harm someone?" I asked, perplexed.

"This card represents something from you…I hope it is something positive…"

"Wait!" I said, looking sharply at the gliding green girl…I…I didn't know how I did it exactly, but something in her told me what that card was, and I told Li: "It…it is the Forget."

"The what?"

"The Forget Card, I know it!"

"How?"

"I just know it, Li! Trust me."

"…I trust you."

"Then it really must be stopped before she makes someone forget all of his or her memories."  
"We better don't attack, or she'll get angry. We'll just be alert." We stared at her, but she continued gliding with her eyes always closed. She was peaceful. Suddenly, I sensed Li laughed a little and told me: "In ten minutes we found the first card…great isn't it?"

I nodded happily, it was truth.

"What can we do to get that Forget Card?" Li asked me, but I raised my shoulders of a sign that I had no idea. Suddenly, it seemed that a great fireball was going to the sky…and it went passing besides the Forget Card. She stopped gliding, and stopped in middle of the air, but she didn't open he eyes.

"Attack her!" A man in the village said, as me and Li could hear him, and another fireball, from a catapult was thrown to the Card, and this time, the fireball got her. This time she opened her eyes, and she had beautiful eyes, just that they inspired terror, and something about those eyes, made me sleepy.

"Sakura, she's awake. She will attack! We have to warn the villagers that they don't have to attack!" But it was too late. The Forget Card glided down the village to the catapult, and there was a green smoke all around it. Li ran to it, and I followed him quickly. He was running with his sword, and his hair moved beautifully with the gusts of air, but I didn't have to notice that: I had to get cards again, like in the old times.

We got inside the village to the place where the catapult was, and there were 5 men on the ground, but they were still alive, and green smoke was disappearing around them. They were rubbing their heads, and one of them spoke: "Where am I? Who…who am I?"

Oh no, the Forget Card had done what she knew to do best.

"The Card disappeared, I can't see her anymore. We lost her because of this fools!" Li said angrily, clutching tightly his sword.

"Li! We have to see these men." I said, worried about them.

"No way, we have to search the Card again."

"No, we have to see them."

"Sakura, please. The fastest we get those Cards, we will get back to Earth."

"No, we have to help these men."

"When we get the Card, we can use it to recover their memories."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know a lot of those Cards, and all indicates they act the way a Clow Card would."

"And what if you're wrong?"

"Trust me."

"…OK, I trust you." I had to admit it…I was getting angry, but I didn't want to fight with Li…not again…

"Hey, kids, come here." A strange voice said. We both turned around, and it was an old woman, dressed with blue robes. I though it was a stranger that wanted to harm us, but Li got near and entered to her hut, and I didn't have a choice to follow him. Inside, everything seemed…magical, to say.

"You have magic inside you kids. You must be magicians." The old woman said, and Li nodded.

"The villagers outside have scared a magical power and we have to capture it." Li said.

"And do you know how to catch it?"

"Well, no." Li admitted.

"There is a wizard that can help you. He might give you something in which you can catch these magical powers."

"Where is that wizard?"

"He is a mystery. He lives in Crystal Woods, just passing this village to the west. No one has found him, but it is said he is one of the greatest wizards of all times."

"Thanks for your help, miss."

"I can still help you more if you want."

"Thank you, we would love to hear you."

"I see your armed with that magical sword, but this girl doesn't have any magical item…"

"Can you give her something then?"

"A wand." I sensed a chill in by back. How would a wand work for me? What would a wand look like? The woman went inside a room, and in 10 seconds, she got out with us with an opaque silver stick some 12-inches-long.

"Here is your wand. When it touches you, it will transform into your wand, but you have to put magic into it. Here." And she handed me the wand, and I grabbed it…nothing…

"Thank you, madam. We will sure catch that power. Goodbye and good luck." Li said, walking to the exit and grabbing my hand.

"Good luck." She said, waving us goodbye. We went to the bright sun outside, and I just walked with my hand held with Li's, until we made it to a shadowy place, where the hot sun couldn't heat us.

"Li…how…how did you know she..." I started, but he completed what I tried to say.

"She was the magician of the village. She had that aura. I can't believe you didn't feel it." I saw to the ground, disappointed…I was useless…I couldn't even identify magic.

"Hey…" Li said, approaching me. "Princess, why are you sad?" He said, lifting my chin. I loved him to call me princess. I blushed a little, and saw another way after seeing his amber eyes.

"It's nothing Li…thanks to be helping me." I said, giving my best smile I could.

"Then…let's see your new wand."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Put it magic."

"How?"

"You know how, Cards Mistress…put your heart in that wand, and imagine it is your Staff."

"I'll try." And suddenly, I discarded my idea of clutching the wand tightly, when I remembered my Start Key around my neck…it was small and useless like the opaque wand I had in front, though both were magical…but I transformed the key to the Star Staff…so, maybe I could transform the wand to a powerful Wand, or something larger.

I put the wand rest in my two hands, while I started to talk whatever occurred to me: "Magical wand, (the Clow seal was drawn magically under me) leave that old form (the wand floated and put itself vertically) and transform into the desires of your new master. (The wand started to be of light and shine) Reveal yourself!" And the stick of light grew 6 inches longer, and then something transformed at the top of the wand. The brightness stopped, and I could see perfectly my new wand: pink like the Star Staff, with a golden ring at the bottom, and at the top, a circle with a golden star in it. No wings. It was made of a shiny metal…a miniaturized form of my Star Staff.

"Sakura, that's why I love you!" Li said excited, embracing me. "You did it at the first try!" I smiled, and blushed too.

…

"With no Clow Cards, how am I supposed to fight?" I asked in our way through the forests. We were searching for that new card again.

"You can use my Elemental Seals. I think it would work perfectly."

"Shiaoran, look!" I said, with my heart bumping hard, pointing up. There it was, the green girl, gliding with her eyes closed, peacefully.

"Now that she's distracted…" Li got out his sword and a Thunder Seal. "God of the Thunder!" He shouted after chanting some words, putting the seal in front of his horizontal sword, and a powerful yellow lighting attacked the girl. It got her, and after the lightning ended, she fell down to the ground, but she ended standing up, with her eyes open in rage, at Li.

"Li, what did you do?!?" I asked him scared. The Forget charged at Li, but just before touching him, he sidestepped, and threw me a seal. "God of the Fire!" I shouted as I touched the seal with the tip of my new wand. A fat fire line went out from it, and aimed itself to the Forget. She got hurt, but jumped, but Li was ready at the top of one tree: "God of the Ice!" And a white mist came out from the seal at pressure and got the Forget, and after the mist ceased, the Forget got frozen down in the floor, vertically.

"Now Sakura, convert her as a card again."

"Yes." I stoop ready, planted, and pointed my wand to the frozen beautiful green girl: "Noble card." I said, and the Clow symbol appeared again.

"Sakura, say Sakura Card, instead of Clow Card." Li said, and I nodded.

"Abandon that form and return to—" BAMM!

The ice prison exploded, shooting sharp pieces of ice everywhere. I was unharmed, but in the ground. There, I opened my eyes, and the Forget charged at the harmed Li and entered him…no…he had lost his memory completely!!! No, not yet…

BAMMM!

This time, it was a fire explosion. I covered my eyes from the ashes and then, when it ceased, I looked up. The Forget and Shiaoran were on the ground…Li had made something before the Forget attacked him, but I had to catch the card firstly…

"Noble card." I started, and the seal appeared again. "Abandon that form to return to your humble one…Sakura Card!" And some wind gusts appeared around, pulling and pushing my robes and hair, while the Forget, in all her body, shone, and then, while she was light, it made itself a shiny vertical rectangle in front of me. Then, the shiny form transformed into some rainbow colors, and then to a pink card. It worked.

I put the card into my pocket and ran to Li: "Li! Li! Are you OK?!?" I was suddenly scared.

"What? Who…"

"Yes, Shiaoran?"

"Who's…who's Shiaoran?" He said, rubbing his eyes, with a harmed face. Oh no…he really had forgotten everything.

"No, no…not you, Li, no…"

"Am I Li?" He said stupidly.

"Wait!" I said to myself. "Li told me that the Forget card could make her effects reversely."

"Li or me? Or am I Li? Talk to me! Who are you, girl? Are you Li?!?" He asked again, kind of desperate this time. I got out the Forget card and said again:

"Noble Sakura Card, reverse the damages you have done to Li, this boy. Make him remember the things he has forgotten…Forget!!!" And at the final words, I stopped spinning my wand, and touched the floating card, and it shone. Then, a green shiny fat whip came out from my card, and surrounded Li, and enveloped it completely. After five seconds of strange lights and sounds, the fat whip returned to the shiny card, and I caught it and before I saved it in my pocket, I looked at it and said: "Thank you."

I went to the fallen body of Li.

"Li! My prince, Li!" I shouted shaking him, and this time I was the twice as scared: this card was new…what if the card made the effects worse? Suddenly, Li opened his eyes sweetly, and opened them completely at my sight, and he embraced me quickly, sitting up.

"Sakura, Sakura…are you OK?" He asked me again.

"Stop worrying Li, I'm fine. How do you feel?"

"I…I don't remember…I feel dizzy…"

"What do you mean that you don't remember?"

"I can't remember why did I pass out…what happened?"

"Oh, nothing…well, let's talk about that in the way." I stoop up, and helped Li too.

"Did you get the card?" He asked me kindly.

"Yes…" I showed the pink card, and I put it again in my pocket.

"I knew you could do it." He said, and then before I could reply blushing, he embraced me, and I accepted it with love.

And after that, we continued laughing and talking in our way to the other card…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Worst than a Nightmare (Li's PoV)

We made the persons in the village to remember everything and we passed again with the witch to say thank you, and we went to the west woods, searching for the strange magician. Maybe he could help us get the other cards.

"Why would the Forget get out from you?" I asked in our way. If the light had copied things inside Sakura, why Forget then?

"I don't know. That explains how everything can be a card."

"I expect the next cards are easier."

"Me too."

"And it also explains that you can identify your cards."

"Yeah, that is a strange point. It must be because they came out from me." Silence for sometime, while we admired the beauty of the forest.

"I can't believe you just came back to me, and we're entangled in another adventure." Sakura said, smiling at me.

"Someone clearly doesn't one our they-lived-happily-ever-after." And she laughed, and I enjoyed her laughing. She was happy.

"The forest is beautiful." I said, without looking at her.

"Yes…the magician could be in any place of this giant forest."

"There must be a way to call him."

"I think that too, but, how to call him?"

"Exactly, that's the question."

Suddenly, a strange gust of wind came to us. I quickly embraced Sakura to protect her, but the gust disappeared as quickly as it started. I looked to my back…nothing…it was like the gust appeared from nowhere. I didn't realize I was continuing hugging Sakura, until she called me: "Li?"

I separated from her. She smiled a little, blushing, and I did the same. "How did that happen?" She asked.

"It's not a question of how…it's a question of who." I was pretty sure that gust wasn't natural…and if the magician threw it?

"Well, let's walk quickly, before another gust come." She said, approaching me and taking my hand. I didn't protest and followed her. I really thought we weren't as boyfriends in that world.

"It has been a long search." I said angrily, with my stomach growling. I'm sure Sakura heard that, because she replied: "Maybe there is a village near where we can find some food an--."

"Shhhh." I silenced her. She looked offended, though I didn't care. I had heard something between the woods…a strange magical sound. Suddenly, the sound returned, to our right.

"Who's there?" I asked highly, looking at my right. Suddenly, a little boy came from some bushes. I was almost drawing completely my sword, when he stood there. He was hardly human. He was something smaller than a baby, and he looked perfectly human, just that he looked like he was 5 years old, and he was dressed like a sorcerer, with blue robes and a blue big pointy hat.

"Aahh! A sword!" He said scared, pointing at my sword. I quickly saved it back, worriedly. Sakura got near to him, and kneeled: "Ooooooooooohhh, you're so cute."

Wow, that was so unpredictable. (sarcasm.)

"Thank you madam…who is that?" He asked, pointing to me. I felt a chill, like an angry kid was accusing me to his mom, in this case Sakura.

"His name is Shiaoran Li. I'm Sakura…don't worry, he won't harm you…what's your name?"

"My name's Lisako. You're names are very strange. You must not be from around here, am I mistaken?" I felt surprised of how he talked, like a grown formal man, but with his childish voice.

"No, we—" Sakura, started, but I interrupted her.

"We came from another world." I said, happily, trying to make the boy surprised. But the one that looked astonished was Sakura, who looked at me with a surprise look, but the boy didn't change. He even said: "Oh yeah, outworlders…we receive many of those in these woods. What are you seeking?"

"We're seeking magic powers." I said quickly, and Sakura astonished even more.

"Not as different as the others…you are just like them. And who are you planning to kill after you get these powers? This little and peaceful world?"

"No, I—"

"Let me tell you, that you aren't the first one that tries to conquer us. There have been five different people who have come here to search magical power, for good reasons, and then when they get them, they start destroy everything. Well, let me tell you something: we have got ridden all those people, and there won't be any difference in you." I got scared for a second.

"We aren't going to use those powers to harm. We just want them to help our friends and return to our own world." Sakura said, looking at the cute creature called Lisako innocently.

"Well, I can't know if you're telling the truth."

"C'mon Lisako, you have to believe her. There's nothing more pure than she." I said, and she turned around and smiled at me, blushing noticeably.

"Well…OK, then…follow me and I'll get you to Yellohok." Lisako said, starting to run through the bushes, when he stopped when he saw we didn't follow him.

"Who?" Sakura asked, standing up, and I joined her by putting myself aside her.

"Yellohok is our master, the greatest magician in the world, and maybe on the universe."

"Why do you want to take us before him?" I asked him.

"To see if you're not danger." And he started running again, and we followed him running. We continued and continued to following him, until we made it to a beautiful village inside the woods.

"Wow…it's beautiful." Sakura said, looking around.

"Not as beautiful as you are." I whispered to her, and I made her blush. That made me feel we were still boyfriends.

"Pass over here. You see that brilliant hut?" Lisako said pointing to a big shiny purple hut. Sakura and I nodded. "There is where Yellohok is. Go to him." I nodded, and I went to it, and Sakura followed me close-by.

We entered the hut, but something happened. Something happened quickly. Something purple, like heavy, but living smoke, attacked Sakura and me, and I fainted.

…

I woke up...I was in middle of a purple square room…everything was dark, and the walls seemed to give the illusion that they moved. I saw a door in front of me., made out of wood, simple. I looked to my sides…oh no…where was Sakura?

"Sakura!" I tried to shout, but no sound came from my mouth. I got astonished, when suddenly a thought crossed my mind: was this another card?!? Without thinking, I approached to the door I had in front and opened it. Inside, I saw Sakura standing with a beautiful pink dress, with her new wand.

"Sakura!" I shouted. Though no sound came again, I went running to her smiling, until I hit myself with something. I touched lightly my nose. It was OK. I looked in front, but there was nothing but Sakura, looking down, without moving…like she was a statue. I threw my hand forward and hit something…it was invisible…an invisible barrier, of course. It had to be. I punched the barrier, but no sound was heard or made.

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared from the other side, where Sakura was, and it quickly transformed into…me…identically. Sakura, noticed him and shouted: "Shiaoran!"

I could hear her perfectly, like if the barrier was not there, though I was touching it. I kicked the barrier with all my strength, but there wasn't a sound again. "Sakura, I'm here!" I shouted no sound again. What was that creature? What as he going to do?

I tried to grab my sword to break the barrier…but there was nothing…no sword.

Suddenly, my copy raised his hand, and my love's smile vanished, and she stopped her running. She took her beautiful hands to her neck. "Don't Li…why?..." My copy was strangling her.

"Sakura!!!" I shouted muted hitting the barrier like a desperate man, seeing Sakura fall to her knees, with a painful face. "No Li, please…" Tears were pouring down her eyes, and after I saw that, I was crying too…she was going to go, thinking I killed her…no…I couldn't let that happen…but what was I supposed to do? "I…love…you…" Sakura was saying in a tiny voice. I couldn't break the barrier! I hit harder, and my hands were red. I took a deep breathe, seeing Sakura's face turn purple, with a dreamy face, and shouted with all my strength, even though I knew it wouldn't sound: "SAKURA!!!" And, impressively, my voice was heard, and I heard like glass breaking. I opened my watery eyes, and saw great pieces of glass fall down in front of me. The barrier had surely broken, but in front of me there was no Sakura or copy…there was another wooden door. I cleaned my tears.

I ran to the door and opened it. "Sakura?" I asked with a crooked voice. Everything was dark. It was a small room, and I couldn't see anything…though…I could see the silhouette of a chair in middle of the room and some feet…but only the feet of the girl that was sitting on the chair. The door closed behind me quickly, and my heart gave a bump. I was suddenly scared.

"Who are you?" I asked, looking at the girl, half-angry half-worried.

"I…am…this…all this…" She said with an evil voice…I got scared even more…

"What do you mean? Are you the thing that created this dimension?"

"I…am…this…dimension…"

"Where is Sakura?"

"Sakura…is…well…cared…she…will…be…protected…"

"Where is she?" I asked again, this time harder and with more authority.

"Sakura…is…well…cared…she…will…be…protected…"

"Where's my sword?"

"There…are…not…such…things…in…my…dimension…"

"Well…what's your name?" A cold chill went down my spine, for asking that. I couldn't see the girl, only her feet, and the feet of the chair. She had black scholar shoes and a dark purple dress that went up to her knees where is vanished out of view.

"I…am…your…nightmare." I thought she was going to attack, but she sat there, quite as ever, still.

"You're a card, am I right?"

"Yes…"

"Damn…" I couldn't believe what I was hearing…then Sakura was real, she was suffering the same I was suffering, but maybe she would be in a worse danger.

"Tell me where Sakura is." This time I didn't ask. The girl didn't respond.

"Tell me now where she is!" I shouted it, and the girl exploded in a purple mist…there had been no sound…the mist was bright in the dark, and it got near to me so fast I couldn't move…it grabbed me…I closed my eyes in pain…and then the mist whispered in my ear just with the girl's same voice: "Let's see where you can go for your dear Sakura."

And then I sensed she went away from me, and there stood a scary silence. I opened my eyes, and I saw the same square purple room. The room was strange with some strange illusions in the walls. I was standing above a platform at a wall, and I could hit the ceiling with my hand, with no effort. It's just that if I saw beneath the platform, there was pure, transparent water.

I saw there, and beneath, I saw something dreadful. I was seeing Sakura choke…underwater…she was locked with some chains, and she was very deep…without thinking, I dived, and went swimming to her. She was getting out of oxygen. I went to the chains, feeling the horrible pressure in my head, and I saw that chains were just a tight knot. I started to untangle them, and when I made it, I was feeling how I was starting to faint…I was drowning…but I couldn't let Sakura drown…I grabbed her waist, and started swimming up. She didn't move, but what I just care was that she went to surface. I was coughing, and my chest ached…now this pain wasn't an illusion or a nightmare for sure…this was real…

I got a deep gasp of oxygen when I managed to get above water, pushing Sakura up too. I got her to the platform, and I got up to. She was unconscious. I suddenly realized the cold of the water. I pushed hard her chest, trying some procedures I learned for someone who was in water for a long time to breathe…I pressed harder and harder, but nothing. Then, I blew into her mouth, and again thumped her chest…no reactions…no…I couldn't feel bumps in her chest…no…

"Sakura, no!!!" I shouted, tears falling down my cheeks. I was very worried and sad. Why did love have to hurt so much?!? I pressed the hardest of all this time, and my chest ached again when I blew air into her lungs again…but nothing…

"SAKURA!!!" I shouted in misery, dropping a huge tear to her face. But she didn't move…I expected that she would cough like in the movies where in the end, the good thing happens…but no…I continued crying in her chest…why…why?!?

Suddenly, the water disappeared. I opened my eyes, and below, there was a huge message written in letters of fire: "Jump, and you'll save yourself from this nightmare." The height was deep, but I didn't care. I quickly jumped without thinking, after taking a sad look to Sakura with her beautiful eyes closed, immobile. Before landing in the floor, crashing, I closed my eyes. After a second, I didn't feel my feet join the Earth. After three seconds, I felt something beneath me…the floor I had felt always in that dimension. I opened my eyes. I wasn't dead. I was still trapped in my nightmare. But I wasn't in the room where Sakura was…I was in an empty and small one. Suddenly, Sakura, with a beautiful pink dress and her Staff appeared from a wall. "You'll stay trapped here. You have lost the tests." She said, and I went dashing to her, trying to catch her, but she vanished, and I hit the wall…I was trapped…wow…I was doomed now, with no Sakura, and now with no life…

…

I was five minutes sat down in the cold floor…thinking of everything…thinking about Sakura…I was sobbing hard…I couldn't believe it…she…why she?!? Suddenly, a voice was heard from nowhere: "Magic boy…use your weapon to save your loved one and to destroy your enchantment." And suddenly, my sword materialized in middle of the room. I stood up slowly and caught it. There was no trap. Someone had sent it to me. I had an idea of what to do. Now…of course!!! I suddenly realized: the Sakura I saw drown wasn't real. It was as real as the Sakura who I saw getting strangled, and the one telling me that I would be trapped. None of them was Sakura. Sakura was, maybe, facing challenges that include me or his loved persons.

I cut the wall at my left, and it destroyed quickly, revealing another room. I walked passed it, when I saw my mother in middle of it, crying. I ignored, knowing it was another evil trap, though my heart gave a bump. I cut another wall and entered another room, facing Mei Ling facing a giant spider, where she was loosing. Of course, this was just a horrible nightmare. I realized that the Nightmare dimension was a labyrinth. I used my sword, with no seal, and said: "Noble sword, take me to the exact place where my love dwells."

My sword gave a blinding light, and when I was able to see (I didn't close my eyes) I was seeing in front Sakura, kneeled down, crying over a copy of me.

"Sakura?" I said, trying to be calmed down, but I couldn't fight the urge… "SAKURA!!!" I shouted happily dashing to her. After not putting attention to her confusion face, I tackled her with a powerful hug.

"Li? How…?" She started, but we had been rolling through the ground. She stood above me, and I looked at her happily, though she was both happy and confused.

"I'm the real Li. All the others you have seen are copies…they want to make you feel you're lost…but we're in the Nightmare dimension, we're receiving the card's effects." And I kissed her quickly in the forehead. I couldn't drop my smile, though it started to hurt.

"We're in a card's dimension?" She asked perplexed.

"Yes. And…Sakura, you don't know how much you make me happy…"

"I thought…I thought I had just lost you!" She said, starting to cry again, but this time, it was of happiness really.

"You will soon!" My copy said in the evil girl's voice. I realized the girl was the card…the Nightmare card. My copy stood up, and then his skin disappeared leaving a girl. She had black shoes, white socks, purple long and formal dress with a bloody red ruby on her chest. She had long black gloves, black with red hair that was so long that it went to her feet, and she also had some hair covering her face.

I got up, pulling Sakura with me. I embraced her and gave my back to the girl, protecting Sakura from her: "Don't dare to harm her again!!!"

"So you want to disappear first?"

"Yes, I do!" I said, with all confidence. The girl started to glide at us, when she stopped in air. Then, a powerful light engulfed us all in a second.

…

In another second, we were in middle of the village, and the Nightmare fell down to the ground, and starting crying: "The sun!!! The sun!!! It burns!!!" And she started go wild.

"Now, girl, capture her." An old man said behind me and Sakura. He gave Sakura her wand, now with its complete form. I didn't ask what was happening at that time, and neither did Sakura. We both wanted the Nightmare to end.

Sakura started: "Noble card…abandon that form to return to your humble one…Sakura Card!" And the wild girl stopped moving around, and transformed itself into a pink card that landed on my love's dear hands. She saved it with a smile, and I couldn't help myself to turn her around to face me and embrace her tightly.

I heard murmurs around us and gasps, and someone whistled, but I continued hugging her, it didn't matter. Finally, she wanted to separate, and we both did…we looked each other in the eyes…there was a silence around us…

"Sakura, I—" I started, but I was interrupted.

"No Li, there's nothing to say…we're both OK…"

"No it's not that…I am so sorry…"

"Sorry?"

"If I had defeated the Magician that kidnapped you, none of this would have happened."

"And you're sorry for that?"

"And much more…I regret everything, starting from the moment you liked me…if I hadn't interfered in your life, you wouldn't have suffered."

"You regret that?!?"

"Yes Sakura, I do."

"I hate it when you make yourself the silly one. Do you really think you're the one to be blamed, to be forgiven?!?"

"Completely."

"Well, you're such a perfect angel, a perfect person, a perfect man, a perfect boy…a perfect boyfriend who is brave enough to be with a dangerous and coward girl like me."

"I have suffered while seeing you Sakura…that Nightmare was strong with me, I lost…I made my love fill in my intelligence, that I came to rescue you late."

"What are you talking about? Li, you know I love you, love you, love you, love you. If you were a ghost, I would carry my ghost detector to follow you everywhere. If you were an ant, I would dig all my life to find you when you go underground. If you were a card, I would always, always, see you…Li…I'm so sorry to have gotten you in this unnecessary danger…you know I'm a fool."

"No, Sakura, you're not."

"Yes, don't lie. I'm a super fool, the most fool of the fools. Shouting you, acting like a crazy, harming you…an angel, a perfect love, the unreached marvel, the living human hope…"

"Well, that makes me a fool as well, doesn't it?"

"Why?"

"It is asked: who is more fool? The fool or the fool that follows her?" She gave me a sweet smile, thinking what to say.

"I expect you're tired of hearing this, but you have such a beautiful smile and beautiful eyes…those shiny green eyes are my jail…my experience in the Nightmare dimension has made my heart clearer now Sakura…I must protect you, I must try harder."

"Oh, please Shiaoran, c'mon…"

"That is what a prince is supposed to do."

"What?"

"Protect her princess." And we stayed looking each other in the eyes, smiling stupidly but with love, and blushing tremendously. Suddenly, everyone around us started to cheer. I was so happy…the most important person in the world for me as alive, OK, and happy…I love her…


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Sakura, Sakura, Sakura, Sakura and Sakura (Sakura's PoV)

I woke up…looking at Shiaoran's beautiful face…he was sleeping, dreaming. I got out my hand from him, and I carefully got his hand out of me, but he woke up, startled. He saw me with a curious-child look: "Sorry." I whispered. He smiled at me: "Good morning." And closed his eyes again, sleeping. He had been waking and waking up for any noise to make sure it wasn't an intruder, and that worried me…Shiaoran wasn't sleeping well.

It had been two days since we had captured the Nightmare card. The old man that had given me my Wand was Yellohok, elder of the Kosi Village. It turned out that Lisako was the elder's grandson. Yellohok had been teaching me some magic, and he had indeed helped me with my Wand. He had given me own cards, created by him. They were Yellohok Cards. They were very useful. These are all the cards he gave me: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Fly, Ice, Lightning and Orientation. The last one was to guide me to the Kosi Village. He had given Li the same set of cards as well, as he was running low in seals.

Li and I both practiced our magic with the new cards, and it turned out perfectly. Everyone in the village called us the hopes, because we were going to save that world from the destruction my cards brought. I loved Shiaoran even more at that time. I thought it was impossible to love him more. He had been so romantic, caring, protecting. I would have gotten bit by a snake me if Li hadn't protected me. And a new thing was that Li wasn't timid at all now…he made me laugh hard every time we were together…I was so happy with him. And I mean, every time we could be together, because sometimes Yellohok would send me or Li to missions of where could the next card be, but we hadn't found anything.

Every time I went to back to the village, Li was waiting for me at the entrance…always…

Every time I got a glance of him when we were working at the village, I felt a chill in my face, specially in my cheeks…I knew I was blushing, and I felt butterflies in my belly…but why? He knew how much I loved him, we were boyfriends, but why did I feel like I didn't tell him that I liked him?

After I left Shiaoran's and my tent, I went to get some apples at the forest. Yesterday, Li did it, but today it was my turn. Those were orders of Yellohok. He was kind of demanding, and liked to order, but I couldn't be angry with him, because he provided us with shelter, food, and new magical cards.

In the forest, I started to collect apples from the tress, when suddenly, I felt something behind me…a card! Yes, it was the same presence. I summoned my Wand in its complete form, and prepared for the card to come. Suddenly…a copy of me came out from the forest. She was exactly a mirror like me…

"Who are you?" She asked to me. Of course, I noticed it instantly…the Copy card.

"My name is Kinomoto Sakura. Yours?"

"Kinomoto Sakura…" I looked at her angrily.

"Now, I'm Kinomoto Sakura." Another copy said, coming out from a bush.

"No, that's me." Another copy said, appearing behind the first copy.

"Don't believe them, I am the original and unique Kinomoto Sakura." The fourth copy said.

"Sakura, Yellohok sent me to help you. I—" But he didn't finish. I would have done the same. Li was seeing five Sakura's in front of him.

"Li, it's me, I'm the real one." I said, waving my arms.

"Shut up! Li, this is the effect of the Copy Card!" A copy said.

"Oh boy, this is going to be a disaster…" Another copy said.

"Don't worry, the Copy Card isn't harmful…it is just mischievous." Another copy said.

"Li, I'm the real Sakura." A copy said.

"No, I am." I said.

"Wait!!!" Yellohok said coming to us. Li turned around as the old wise man entered the scene. "I know a way we can identify the real Sakura…"

"Thanks goodness…" A copy and me said at the same time, and I looked at her angrily.

"You'll make chores, and I will see who is the Card Mistress."

"Who?" A copy asked, and Yellohok raised his staff and launched a rainbow beam to her, and she vanished. "OK, one gone, four left…let's see who are the impostors."

"But chores? Why?!?" I asked, looking at him angrily, but he gave me a severe look, and I silenced fearing he would attack me.

"Well, not chores…maybe…maybe it would be more appropriate to leave you some…tasks."

"OK." A copy said. "No problem" And Yellohok smiled at her, as I gave her an evil glance.

"Task one!!!" Yellohok shouted. "Kiss Li, and he will determine who Sakura is."

"What?!?" Me and Li said at the same time. "We'll start with you!!!" He said to a copy, and she gracefully moved forward. He went to kiss Li. He took a step back, and I smiled at him, but Yellohok shot at him a little light ball, and he jumped a little. "Kiss her, Li!" He said, and Li slowly, closed his eyes, and waited for the kiss.

"No!" Yellohok said, pulling Li. "I have a better idea. Follow me." And he went going to the village, and we followed him confused. I went quickly to Li's side, but as well the others did, telling him: "I'm the real one Li!!!" "No, me!" "Li, you must know it's me!" "Li, I love you."

"Whoa, wait a second, everyone." He said, halting all the copies and me. "Please, don't touch me or tell me those things. There's only one Sakura and Yellohok will show us which is which, OK? Sorry for my real love, but I cannot be so sure."

"But then, why can't you identify me as the real one, if you really think you love your Sakura, me, so much?" A copy said putting in front of Li, but he just made her get aside, and I gave an evil smirk.

"OK, your first task will be to wash this room." Yellohok said, as we entered the village, and he opened the door of a wooden ugly house. It was totally ugly inside. "You have 20 minutes." Yellohok left us inside, locked, with a bucket of water and some strange village cleaners.

…

"Next task! Go and feed the chickens!" Yellohok said, as me and all the copies ran to the chickens to feed them.

…

"Well, there's nothing more I have to do for today. Thanks for everyone for doing my…I mean, the tasks." Of course I knew that man had sent us do his obligations. "The final task will reveal the true Sakura…all of the Sakura's go near me." Everyone obeyed. "Now! The real Sakura get out your Wand and summon it in its true form."

I quickly got the opaque gray Wand, and without saying anything (as Yellohok has taught me) the stick transformed into the great Wand…I didn't call it anything special, just…Wand…

"Now, capture Copy!" Li shouted. I jumped forward, and turned around. All the Sakura's gathered together in a ball and became a beautiful woman.

"Noble card…abandon that form to return to your humble one…Sakura Card!" The woman put no resistance, as she closed her red, beautiful eyes, and she was converted in a second on a pink card, with the name on the below place: THE COPY.

"Yellohok, what was that all about?" Li asked. I turned around, to see him looking angrily at Yellohok, who just stayed smiling innocently at the horizon. A gust of natural wind passed, and Li's new clothes flowed beautifully. He was dressed with green and blue robes, almost identical to the suit he had used in the battle against the Sealed Card. Mine was different. Mine was pink with red, but it was just a dress with a star, and some other beautiful things. I blushed to the sight of my love.

"How could you do that?" Li still asked.

"I don't have more chores, now…I had to use the Copy card, right?"

"No, that was unjust and—"

"DO YOU WANT ME TO MAKE YOU VANISH?!?" Yellohok suddenly shouted turning to see Li, with a menacing face and voice.

"No sir." Li said quickly in a tiny voice, and went walking to me slowly. Quickly, Yellohok turned to his good smile and closed eyes of wisdom again: "Alright, I'm going to rest."

"But it is morning…" I said, scratching my head.

"Don't care." And he went away to his tent, leaving me and Li alone, together, again, what I loved the most.

"Well, everything turned alright after all." I said, looking happily at Li, who turned to me and smiled.

"Two cards left, right? This is going to be easy, and you have no problems at all to capture them." He said.

"Thank you." I said blushing, and he hugged me saying: "Congratulations of getting the third card!" I smiled at him when he separated.

"Well, I'm going to continue resting as well." Li said turning to the tent.

"What?" I asked.

"You know, I am very tired."

"Oh you're just as lazy as Yellohok."

"Then come with me…oh, no, you can't. You have to pick up the apples." He said teasing me.

"At least I work." I said, smiling at him, and he smiled me back, we both playing.

"Good night…I mean, morning." I joked waving at him.

"See you soon." He said, walking gracefully to his tent, as I saw the last of my the mostg valuable person for me in the world…


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – Evil Sakura (Li's PoV)

"Good mornings, prince." I heard, while I opened my eyes. Everything was so blurry. I opened my eyes completely, and looked around…I was in my tent, and Sakura, my dear princess, had just greeted me. "Good morning Sakura." I replied, standing up.

"We don't have to get anything now, we have free time." She said, giving me a kiss in the cheek.

"We have to look for the other card."

"Oh, why? Yesterday we just caught the Copy, why search another?"

"I told you the faster we get the cards, the faster we return to Earth."

"But I'm happy here."

"But don't forget Eriol, Kero and Yue are fighting in our world against the magician, and we're delaying. So I don't want to pressure you, but we have to be quick."

"How can't you not be pressuring me if I have to be quick?" She asked, and I smiled at her joke. We hugged.

I made a big sound when I smelled. "Sakura, you need a bath."

He punched my back lightly. "What cute things to say…" She said sarcastically, while I smiled.

…

We passed the day, going through the woods, until I found the beautiful waterfall I had discovered two days before.

"Oh, wow Li! It's beautiful!!!" She said, running nearer to the waterfall. It was just three meters high. Its sound was beautiful, as the water splashed at the end, and the water was so clear and clean. There was a little visible rainbow between the ends of the waterfall.

"You're still more beautiful." I said.

"How did you find it?"

"I was looking for the apples, and well, I kind of got lost, but found this, and I used Orientation and I went back."

"I love you Li." She said hugging me. I put my hand on her brown beautiful hair, brushing it. We separated, and I said: "Let's sit near the river."

We went near the end of the waterfall, and put our feet in the current, while we sat in land, enjoying the moment. The water was cold, but it felt good at the same time.

"What do you think may have happened to Mei Ling and Tomoyo?" She asked, looking at me worriedly.

I started to think, I had not wondered that: "I promise you they're OK."

"Yes, I hope…"

I turned to look at her with a stop, admiring her. She suddenly smiled, blushing, and said: "Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something funny in my face?"

"No, no, I'm just admiring your beauty." She smiled blushing again, and turned to the river. I turned too to the river. But then we looked each other…and we our faces got closer…we closed our eyes for a kiss in this world…but then…

"Li!" And someone behind the bushes ran to us. I turned around quickly, ready to protect…and it was Mei Ling who came dashing to me and gave me a hug…when we both feel down to the river. Wow, the water was really cold.

"Mei Ling!" I screamed in my shivers in the river. I stood up, helping her quickly, as we got out of the shallow river. Sakura laughed, when Tomoyo came as well, saving her camera on a pink backpack, and gave Sakura a hug.

"Friend, I missed you so much!"

"Me too, Tomoyo."

"We're so glad to see you." I said, trying to act polite, but I was so astonished.

"How did you make it here?" Sakura asked, separating from Tomoyo's hug.

"Kero sent us…" Tomoyo said.

"You don't know how much Earth has changed…" Mei Ling said.

"Tell us everything." Sakura said.

"Yeah, let's sit there, at the sun." Tomoyo suggested, pointing to a beautiful plain green land, with the sunlight peering into it, it was just 50 feet far.

"Yeah, after someone falls into a freezing river, he better heat himself up." I said, looking at Mei Ling, and she smiled at me weakly ashamed.

We got to that beautiful clearing, and between Tomoyo and Mei Ling they started telling us the story of our world, starting from Mei Ling:

"It has been horrible. The entire human race is slaved because of the Dark Magician, that's how he's known. He's really Eriol's brother…his big evil brother. Kero, Yue and Eriol are still fighting with him, but they have to escape the battle…they don't really know how could the Dark Magician learn very powerful magic."

"We traveled through whole Japan, escaping the Dark Magician, until yesterday, Kero insisted that he could make a portal to this world to help you out get these cards sooner."

"So that's why we're here. How many cards have you found?"

"Three of five…" Sakura said ashamed.

"I can't believe those things are happening on Earth…" I said.

"Where do you think the other cards are?" Mei Ling asked.

"We don't have a guess, but we're really looking for them." I said.

"Yeah right, sitting next to the river is a good search." Mei Ling said frustrated, and I lowered my head.

"And what about by Clow Cards…didn't you bring them?" Sakura asked them.

"Oh, about those…the Dark Magician stole them." Tomoyo said sadly.

"What?!" I jumped startled. "He stole them?! Do you know the power those cards wield?"

"Yes, I know." Tomoyo said. "But it wasn't our fault, we couldn't do anything."

"But if the cards were at Sakura's house, what happened to his father?" I asked, worriedly.

"He…he…" Tomoyo started, without looking at neither of us, and Mei Ling did the same, I watched Sakura who had a scared face.

"Don't worry Sakura; I'm sure he's fine." I said, putting my arm around her. She didn't say anything, but she didn't cry.

We stayed like that, when suddenly, Sakura stood up, surprised.

"What's wrong?" Tomoyo asked.

"I sense…" Sakura started, but then she went away running, and I quickly followed her into the woods. "It's magic!" She said, but I couldn't feel anything. We followed her through the woods until she disappeared through some branches. We entered through them with difficulty, until I saw her standing in front of a dark blue figure…a small girl, with an evil grin and evil eyes.

"Sakura, watch out!" I shouted, as the figure dashed to Sakura, but she sidestepped. Without saying words, she grabbed her wand, and transformed it quickly. I too summoned my sword, and dashed to the girl.

"Fire!" I shouted as I put my red Fire card in front of my sword, and it launched a powerful beam of fire to the girl, but she evaporated, evading my attack, and then she materialized besides me, and dashed. Then, Sakura threw a lightning to the girl, saving me.

"Thanks." I said.

"Your welcome."

"What card is it?"

"It's—" But the girl dashed at Sakura, and she evaded it.

"Water!" I said, now launching a beam of water to the girl. This time I got her. Quickly, I shouted: "Lightning!" With my card as a powerful lightning got to the girl, and because she was wet, she got electrified. But she broke up the bright electricity show, and divided into two big blue spheres.

"What's happening?" I asked. "My attacks don't work."

"Wind!" Sakura said, and a powerful long tornado came from the tip of her wand to the two balls. They evaded the tornado easily, and charged at both of us. The ball was wet, as I realized before it got near me enough to get me. "Ice!" I shouted, and a whitey mist came from my sword, as the ball froze in air. Then, I ran to Sakura…the blue ball was on her head. I dashed with my sword and cut in half the ball, but then it evaporated.

The vapor went to the center of the clear, and I heard something behind. The ball I had frozen went to the vapor and joined to make the blue evil girl again.

"Thanks, Shiaoran." Sakura said, rubbing her head.

"The Card is vulnerable to ice."

Sakura nodded, and we both shouted: "Ice!" And a powerful mist at pressure got the girl, but at the moment it made itself an ice statue, it exploded. I went flying away, but landed on a sweet bush.

"Li!" Daidoji called me, as I opened my eyes to see her besides me. She pointed forward: "Sakura!" I looked to where she pointed, and I went running to save Sakura, as she was in the girl's arms…I wouldn't make it…the girl was absorbing Sakura…I had to do something…

"Li!" Sakura shouted, trying to save herself.

I launched magic. "Water!" I shouted, and the classic blue jet got the two girls, as they separated. I ran to the fallen Sakura, but blue tentacles grabbed my feet, as I fell down. The tentacles came from a blue pond. Suddenly, Sakura stoop up and shouted: "Return!" And, putting forward her free hand, the tentacles and the blue pond vanished into her hand. The Card wasn't anywhere to be seen now.

"You did it Sakura!" Tomoyo said, closing her camera into her purse again, and I sighed.

"Of course." Sakura said proudly.

"Let's get to the village. We will tell Yellohok about you two, and you'll sure be able to stay." I said, and they both nodded, and we went through the woods, but before walking further, I pointed out we were lost, so I used Orientation, and a blue light appeared in front of me as a guide, and we followed it, until we saw the entrance of the village and the light ball vanished.

"Wow, this village is beautiful!" Mei Ling said.

"Well, we just need the last card, so, what do you think?" I asked, smiling, at Mei Ling. I lead the way to Yellohok's hut, and there, we made introductions and stuff, but before going away, Yellohok said: "Wait…"

"What is it?" I asked.

"Come here, Sakura."

"And if I don't want to?" She said, and I got surprised for her attitude.

"Get here, now!"

"No, I'm getting to my hut!" And she went walking away.

"Why is she acting like that?" Mei Ling asked, and Tomoyo went out to follow her friend.

"She is under the control of the Evil Card…" Yellohok said.

"The Evil Card? Of course! Then, Sakura didn't capture it." I said.

"No, the Card has taken over her."

"But what can I do, she has the wand, and besides, I don't know how to use it."

"Use your sword to call out the Card from Sakura, and then, she can capture it." Yellohok said wisely, and then I nodded, as I pulled Mei Ling outside.

"The Evil Card?" She asked me in the way to my hut.

"I know it sounds weird…most of the Cards Sakura has captured are kind of…not very useful, but they are very hard to get."

"And you haven't use them to capture others Cards?"

"No…" I said, suddenly realizing.

"Anyways, we have to help Sakura out, let's run." I nodded, and she follows me. We went to the hut's entrance, and there Sakura was shouting horribly to Tomoyo: "Why do you always have to mess with my life?!? Get off me!!!"

"Sakura!!!" I said, shouting. Tomoyo was crying. Sakura turned to look at me. "Mei Ling, take care of Tomoyo and explain everything to her." Mei Ling nodded, and she went to get Tomoyo, who was on her knees sobbing, that she pulled her in the hut. And I and Sakura stayed looking at each other. It felt just like the day she had shouted at me because she felt I didn't love her, but now, it was worst, because she looked me with hatred, and I looked her defiantly.

"So what, do you want to fight?" Sakura asked.

"No. Sakura you're possessed."

"Possessed? Stop saying stupid things! How can you consider yourself a good boyfriend if you shout at me?"

"I've never considered myself a good boyfriend."

"And you better ever don't."

"I know what's inside you Sakura…"

"Me too, organs, so what? I tell you, stop being so stupid, we didn't get to be boyfriends so you could just…humiliate me."

"I am definitely talking to you, Card. Get out of Sakura now!"

"Stop playing the fool!" Then, her wand took her true from.

"YOU stop playing the fool!" I summoned my sword. "I already know you aren't Sakura."

Sakura smirked.

"Earth!" I shouted putting the card in front of me before Sakura reacted, and some little mountains grew at Sakura's feet, trapping her. "Water!" Sakura got all wet.

"Wind!" Then, the tornado got out of my blade, absorbing like an aspirator, and then a little blue-thing came out, and it took the form of a girl. I returned the card from to my pocket, and got the Ice card, but waited.

"You will pay!!!" The girl dashed at me quickly, but I patiently summoned: "Ice!" And the girl froze in middle of the air, and she fell down. I went to Sakura, who was just standing because she was trapped in the earth. She had her beautiful eyes closed. I cut the little mountains with my sword, destroying them and letting Sakura free. I laid down Sakura and shook her: "Sakura…Sakura, you're OK?"

Then she moaned, and opened her eyes: "Li?"

"Sakura, there's no time. You have to capture this card while you still can."

Sakura opened her eyes, and got up quick. Ignoring all the events, she saw the ice statue in front of her and began: "Noble card…abandon that form and return to your humble one…Sakura Card!" And the ice statue, became mist, that became like a shiny very-blue water, that, like a whip, went in front to Sakura's wand, making itself a small white shiny rectangle, that appeared quickly as a pink card after all the water had transformed.

"Oh, wow." I turned around to see Mei Ling gasping. "That was awesome…Tomoyo would have loved to film you."

"I did." Tomoyo said, revealing herself from the tent.

"What happened while I was out?" Sakura asked, rubbing her head, after putting the card in her pocket.

Before I spoke, Tomoyo said: "Nothing, you did nothing wrong."

"But Daidoji, sh—" Mei Ling started.

"No Sakura, you didn't do anything. Li immediately felt the change of your attitude and got the card out of you." Tomoyo said.

"Oh…then, thanks very much Shiaoran, though…what attitude?" Sakura said to me, smiling dreamingly, and I laughed.

"You know you can always count on me." She blushed. "Then, let's use the rest of the day to enjoy Tomoyo and Mei Ling are here."

"Enjoy? How?" Mei Ling asked.

"You would be surprised of how the parks are here." I said smiling at them, running to the miniature park, while I helped the most valuable person for me in this world to get up…


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – The Last Card (Sakura's PoV)

I woke up suddenly. I sat up, and Li also did the same, rubbing his eye: "Now what?" We were both hearing a beautiful tune from outside. No, it wasn't a tune…it was song…

"Happy birthday, Sakura, happy birthday…"

Li suddenly acted like crazy and went out of bed, and searched in his mountain of things something. Why were they singing to me if it wasn't my birthday? I got up and got out of the tent, to see like 10 men playing trumpets and violins. Finally the song ended. I wanted to say that it wasn't by birthday when suddenly Li stepped in front of me with a little red box.

"What is…this?" I asked curiously, not trying to sound arrogant.

"Happy birthday."

"But it isn't my birthday."

"What?!?" The playing men and Shiaoran shouted.

"It's not a joke, right?" A man asked, and I shook my head.

"Yellohok!" A man shouted.

"Let's get that liar!" Another one shouted, and all of them ran to his hut.

Then, Li laughed highly, and I smiled.

"Well, there's no doubt why many people don't like Yellohok very much, right?" Li asked to me, smiling, and I nodded.

"Well, let's go back to bed, I'm so tired…" I said, yawning, and getting back. Suddenly, I noticed Li was still out, looking at the moon. "What's wrong, Li?"

"It's nothing, but I was wondering…there is just one card left for us…it will be hard."

"Hard? Why do you think that?"

"The Nightmare of the card was the worst of things I've ever felt, but I think the last card will bring us more troubles."

"Li?" I asked, confused.

"You know, Sakura? You're very brave, and strong. I know you can do many things by yourself, though I try to protect your from everything. But, when we found the last card, I want you to obey me if I say to run away, OK?"

"What? Li, n—"

"Please, Sakura. You must run away if I say it, OK?"

"…fine." I said, kind of harshly. I didn't want to argue, not since by greatest life mistake. Li was caring about me, and I appreciated that, but to tell me to run away and leave him alone fighting? It was impossible. Besides, why did he think the last card would be very hard to capture?

"Sakura…" Li whispered, still seeing at the moon. "I know you're kind of angry because of what I just told you, but…you're everything to me. You know I would give everything for you, even my life, because nothing of my possession is as valuable as…you…" I blushed. I loved when he got romantic, hehe. "You must understand that you must continue living in case of—"

"Oh, Li!" I stood up, I had to tell him. "You're scaring me. You're my complete life as well, and I would give everything for you too. But, why do you know the last card will be almost impossible? If you tell me to run away, either I stay with you fighting or you escape with me!"

"Sakura…"

"Why do you always want to solve things alone? I'm with you. I'm sure when we find the last card we will be able to capture it no matter what, as long as we're together. After that, then we'll fight the magician in our world."

"Sakura, one thing I've learned from you is to fight for others—"

"Then don't rob my idea!" I said highly, and then he smiled, and then said: "Of course."

I smiled back, and then before he could say anything, I embraced him, and pulled him to the bed.

"No Sakura, I don't want to sleep." Li said, wriggling around.

"C'mon, do it for me. We'll need strength to find and capture the last card."

"Well, yeah, you're right…good night." Li said.

I kissed him. "Good night, Shiaoran."

I woke up, and yawned, while Li was dreaming beautifully, but it made me laugh. I stood up and went out to see the sun…but I saw something different…a shiny woman in a long dress with a beautiful yellow hair. She was a woman made out of light. A Card.

I couldn't move. I wanted to call Li, but then I tried to sense what Card was it…it was…the True Love Card.

"True Love?" I asked out loud.

Then, the woman dashed at me, and tackled me over. I fell down to the ground, hurt. The woman glided up to the sky, and then fell down to me. I dashed out the way, and the woman destroyed the ground where I had been. Then, she turned around and launched a fireball to where I was. I closed my eyes…

"Water!" I heard, and yet of water destroyed the fireball. Li appeared atop a tree, sword in hand. "Sakura, you should've waked me up!!!" He said to me really, really angrily.

The woman then took from her back a bow and an arrow. He shot one at Li, who evaded it by falling to the ground and then dashing to the woman. I tried to get up, but I couldn't move. Something had bonded me to a tree! The Card then transformed the bow in a sword, and dueled Li in a sword fight. But…

"Aaaaah!" Li shouted painfully, as he put his hand in his left arm new cut. Li then was kicked to a tree by the Card. Li sat down, in pain. The Card then raised her hand pointing at Li, and she sent something completely black. Li evaded it by jumping, and in the air, he shouted "Fire!!!".

A power bolt of fire fell down the Card that was made little balls of light. Li fell down the floor exhausted. He turned at me, and said "Earth!" as the tree then exploded, and I was free.

"Sakura, run!!!" But Li was silenced as the little balls grouped inside of him. Then, when all the light balls had vanished inside Li, he screamed when a lot of light lines started to get out of him. I heard an electric sound coming out from the shiny Li. Then, the light disappeared as he fell down to the floor. The lines of light grouped in the air to make the Card.

"Nightmare!!!" I shouted as I put a card in front of my transformed wand, and the dark girl came out from it, and jumped to fight the Card of True Love.

There was a loud explosion where the Nightmare and True Love had collided.

I went running to Li.

"LI!!!" I shouted, shaking him. He didn't open his eyes. My heart gave a powerful bump and I shook him harder. He moaned and opened his eyes slowly and weakly.

"Li, are you OK?"

"Sakura!" He shouted hard, scaring me. He tried to sit up, though he managed to do it in a hard effort. "Sakura, you must—"

Another loud explosion was heard. I turned up and the Nightmare went flying away from the smoke, which inside of it the True Love was expecting feelingless. She turned to me and Li. I stood up.

"Copy!" I summoned my other card pointing at Nightmare, and it made two equal copies. These two copies then went to fight the True Love Card, as another explosion was made.

"That is no use…" Li stood up completely, holding his sword, trying to maintain his balance. "Sakura, the Card is invincible to the attacks the Nightmare gives her. You must take the evil out of her."

I understood. "Noble Sakura Card…destroy the evil inside this Card! Evil!!!" I shouted, as something quickly transformed from the Card and went to the True Love. Suddenly, a huge, dense and white mist came from it. Then, the Nightmare and Copy cards came from it and went to my hand.

"Li, are you all right?" I asked timidly, turning to him.

"Yeah…" He said harshly. "Th—thanks Sakura…for helping me out…" I smiled at him, and he smiled back, and then turned to see the mist.

The mist ceased, and we saw the woman wriggled around in the air, like if something was inside of her trying to escape. Suddenly, something quickly came out from the woman, turned into a Card and went into my hand…the Evil Card.

"Li, it isn't working."

"Sakura…put behind me…" I wanted to do something, but I obeyed Li. "I'm sorry Sakura…" Sorry? I wanted to ask why he was sorry, but, I think it was self explanatory.

"Magiraga!!!" Li shouted, with his sword forward with a strange red seal with golden border. A powerful beam made out of every color attacked the woman, and when it touched her, the beam exploded in four different ways, that quickly separated, and with intensity went back to the woman, and then, there was an extreme light. In the blinding light, I felt I was burning.

Then the light ceased, and I was OK. I opened my eyes, but saw everything around burnt down. I turned to look at Li, who was disappointed looking at the ground. Still, he pushed his eyes up to see the woman who was in the floor, trying to get up.

"Now Sakura, quick!" Li said, as I was already going to capture the card.

"Noble card…abandon that form and return to your humble one…Sakura Card!" The woman began immaterialize and began to turn something like a water made out of very intense light. The water then went in front of my wand and started to transform in a shiny white rectangle, but in the transformation, a quick pink lightning went from the Wand to the white rectangle. When the entire woman's light was in the white rectangle, it had began to make some strange electric noises, and then it burst in a strange opaque yellow light for a second. When the light ceased, the rectangle had taken form a card…but a yellow opaque card.

I grabbed it, and turned it around…there was no drawing, and the name of "True Love" was nowhere.

"Li…look at this." I turned to see at Li, but he was hardly standing up, smiling at me. "That's why I love you." I smiled back at him, but he closed his eyes and fell down to the ground, fainted.

"Li!" I shouted as I went to him. I carried him up, and went to see Yellohok.

I was waiting outside Yellohok's hut. I had talked all about the battle to Mei Ling and Tomoyo, who were talking about it besides me.

Then, I saw Yellohok got out of the hut, and before I asked him anything, I saw Li get out as well. He wore bandages everywhere (a way of saying it) but at the others he looked fine, physically and emotionally, as I could see it in his eyes.

"Li, you're all right!" I jumped and hugged him.

"Li, I can't believe it. I should have filmed the battle. Sakura tells us you fought as never before." Tomoyo said, grinning.

"There's no time. Sakura, we must go."

"Uh?" I asked astonished. "Where?"

"You must go to a kingdom called Troia." Yellohok said. "I hear there's a magician there who can help you resolve the mystery of the card you have just gained."

"Oh…OK." I said.

"Do you bring all your cards?" Li asked, and I nodded, showing him my wand as well.

"Well then, stand over here, and I teleport you there." Yellohok said. Then, he turned to Mei Ling and Tomoyo. "You too! I don't want to live with two weird girls in my village, go with your friends." The girls nodded and went to our side. Then, Yellohok joined his hands as a strange, magical and shiny seal appeared below him, and then, I felt as before when I got to this strange world, with my most valuable person holding my hand…


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – The Sacrifice of Love (Li's PoV)

I hit the ground with my feet, and then felt to my knees of the intensity, just as if I had fallen from a tree. I opened my eyes and looked around. I noticed we were on a hill, as I had spotted Sakura besides me too. Sakura then began to stand up, and I did the same.

"So where could this magician be?" Sakura asked me, and I shook my head.

"I think we should walk down there, to the village." I said pointing to a village which seemed just like the first one we had gotten too. We began to walk there, when suddenly Sakura smiled and laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing, nothing…it's just that you look like a mummy." And she started to laugh again. I looked at my hands, and then started to feel my face. I could feel the bandages enough, but I had too many.

"There's no way this village will accept me if I go like…this…"

"Of course you will enter. Just tell everyone who asks that you're injured." I nodded, and then started again to the village.

"Hey Sakura…where is Mei Ling and Tomoyo?" I asked. Sakura turned around, but lifted her shoulders. Suddenly we noticed that there were 20 or more people there in front of the entrance, which was just like 10 meters of us. We couldn't see them before because we came down the hill and stopped in a loop, and then down again.

"I…don't…believe it…!" One of the men there said. I looked at them with curious faces.

"You don't believe what?" I asked.

"We're just going to enter your village to seek a magician, we…we hope not to disturb you." Sakura said, and I was surprised she talked that way.

"You're the ones in the prophecy!!!" A man said, and some agreed by nodding.

"Wait!" Someone said, and it seemed to be an old man that got away from the group of men. "What are your names?"

"I'm Sakura, his name's Shiaoran Li." Sakura said, and for a reason of protection, I guided my hand slowly near my sword with discretion.

"They ARE." A woman said. "The Princess Sakura in pink dresses will come near the Prince Li in robes that hide his identity." I was surprised of the talking. It was so confusing.

"There's just another detail I have to check." The old man said.

"Then do it, Elder." A woman said. The Elder got near us, and asked us both: "Are you a couple?"

"Yes, we are." I felt how Sakura grabbed my hand tightly. "We are just coming to seek a magician."

"Yes people…they are the kings of the village of Troia." Everyone there cheered, and I scratched my head in confusion.

"Li, what does all this mean?" Sakura asked highly, so her voice could be heard from all the noise.

"I don't know!" I shouted back. I went to the old man to ask him some questions, but in the way, we were carried, almost by force, to a carriage, where we were locked in. I kicked the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Calm down, Prince Li." I turned around to see a young woman at a sit in front of us. I immediately sat correctly.

"Prince Li?" Sakura asked.

"Welcome to Troia. You'll surely have a lot of questions. Let me explain." The woman said. "Troia's last king said the ones that would take the thrones of this land again would be you. He made a prophecy, and all the details are in you. You are chosen to be King and Queen of Troia!"

"Queen of Troia?" Sakura repeated, surprised.

"Ma'am, we honestly don't have time to rule this land. We're in a quest for a magician that it's here. We must ask him something important."

"You should be talking about Shift the Magician. He's the only magician in the kingdom. Don't worry; he's waiting the arrival of his new kings at the castle."

"Ma'am—" I started, but Sakura interrupted me.

"What does Shift do?"

"Shift the Magician is a man who has the ability to see the future."

"Then maybe that's why he'll be able to resolve the mystery of the card."

"Would you like me to leave you both in private?" The woman asked, and Sakura nodded. The woman knocked at the wall at her back, and the carriage stopped. She opened the door, and before closing it again she said: "You will love your castle, King Li." And the door closed.

"Oh well, this going to end soon." Sakura said, while relaxing. "As soon as Shift fixes up this Card, we'll be able to return."

"But what about Tomoyo and Mei Ling? Where could they be?"

"Maybe they didn't enter the portal all."

"Maybe…"

"Are you worried?" Sakura asked sadly.

I breathed. "Mei Ling has been like my only true sister. She has been my first friend, and she'll always be. She promised that when I was just a little kid. Besides…she's my only family left…" Sakura grabbed my arm, and I turned to her. I saw her sad face approach mine, and she closed her eyes, and I closed mine, while we kissed gently and full of love. When we separated, she said: "I consider you part of my family now, Li." I smiled at her. She seemed very, very beautiful.

"You have an angel's face, did you know that?" I said, while I touched Sakura's face, which smiled and blushed.

"You have one too."

"I don't care how many times you say you're a fool or you're not special, because you're the perfect girl."

"The perfect girl?!?" She asked, surprised.

"What boy wouldn't want a girl like you? A brave girl, a girl that possesses magic, a girl that imprisons your look in her eyes, a noble girl, one who always thinks in her friends, a girl full of love…a Cardcaptor." Sakura giggled, and blushed as she tightened my arm sweetly. I raised my arm to play with her hair, and then she rested on my lap.

"This makes me feel like we're under the penguin again." Sakura said.

"The days when I stayed with you were wonderful."

"All my days since we're a couple have been wonderful."

"You're right…ignoring all our troubles we have had with the cards." Sakura laughed. "I love when you laugh."

"Li, you're way of making me feel like your princess is incredible." Sakura went to look at me, and I blushed.

"What do you mean?"

"You're so, so, so romantic."

"Does that make you feel uncomfortable?"

"The entire contrary, Shiaoran." Sakura sat up and then hugged me tightly like a kid hugs a teddy bear, while she said: "You make my heart the happiest, Shiaoran…Shiaoran…" I returned the hug, closing my eyes. And I felt that those moments endured a long time, as we stayed the same as Sakura embraced me and I did the same back in the whole way.

…

"We're here." The woman said outside the carriage, while knocking. I opened the door, and got out, helping Sakura. We looked up, and I saw a very impressive castle. All I could see of it was the front wall which was full of windows and golden emblems. I saw the woman who made us signs to follow her, and we did so. She guided us to the real entrance to the castle, and when we entered, we were delighted with the beauty of the main hall.

"This is Main Hall." The woman said. "This is where your welcome party will be held. But first, you must dress up. Our servants have already put your new clothes in your respective room."

"When can we see Shift?" I asked.

"In the party, he'll come."

"Well then, guide us to our rooms." Sakura said, and the woman nodded as she began to lead us. It was a long walk, but finally, we were at our rooms.

"The party will be at twilight, so be ready." And the woman disappeared, as I entered my room. It was beautiful. Everything seemed so royalist. I began seeing my clothes, and decided to wear one that seemed like a soldier's.

…

At twilight, I got out of my room to see Sakura in a golden dress. I blushed as I said: "Well, it seemed you couldn't look more beautiful, but I was wrong." Sakura giggled and blushed as well.

"Do you still prefer that I call your princess instead of queen now?" I asked, and Sakura nodded. I handed her my hand, she took it, and we began to walk down the stairs, talking.

We finally got to the Main Hall. Many people began to greet us. To make the starting of the party short, we were presented by the woman, and then, we were supposed to talk with other politicians about the state of Troia's economy, and I was told everything about it. I finished the meeting with the suggestion that we should focus on the sell of rice instead of the rin (a fruit which I never saw, but was famous in Troia), and they all agreed. We shook hands and went to the party.

"Hey Sakura." I called her. She hadn't been at the boring meeting because I had sent her to look for Shift, but because I had seen her standing there, I called her attention. "Did you find Shift?"

"Oh Li…how to explain…" Sakura looked at the floor, sadly. I raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, princess?"

"Jade told me that they found Shift dead…today!"

My heart jumped wildly. "Who's Jade?"

"It's the woman who has been escorting us all along."

"I can't believe this." I said while turning away. "We won't be able to find the meaning of the Card now if we can't see the magician Yellohok recommended us. Now what do we do?"

"I asked that to Jade, and she said that we should not worry." I was impressed. "She has just found a new magician. She'll tell us when he can be ready to talk to you."

"That's great! But I think we should both go to talk to him."

Sakura shook her head. "Jade said that the new magician wishes to speak with you in private."

"OK." I nodded. "So I'll wait out for Jade. Thanks for telling me, Sakura." I was going while I said: "Enjoy the party!" I went to get some food at the table, and I began to talk with a boy of my age that said he was a son of an important politician. I talked to him until Jade grabbed me and told me: "King Li, the new magician is at your room. I hope Queen Sakura has delivered you the news."

"Yes, she has. If you excuse me..." I went up the stairs while taking a last glance at my Sakura who was talking to a man and a little girl. When I finally got to the floor I was supposed to go, I noticed everything there was deserted, and there was pure silence. Finally, at got at my room's silver door, and when I opened it, the worst negotiations in my life happened…

…

"Sakura." I said, approaching her. She was so beautiful in that golden dress of hers, and she smiled at my sight. I didn't.

"Yes, my prince?"

"I…I…" I couldn't say it…it was impossible.

"What's wrong?"

"I need to talk to you." I said, and she followed me to a corner.

"OK, what?" She asked as kindly as she could.

"I ought to make this up quick, because I want to get away from you as fast as I can."

"Well…OK…" She looked offended. There was no turning back now…I had already started anyways…OK…here I started…

"It's not that I hate you Sakura, but we can't be together anymore."

"What?!?!?" She shrieked out, but not many people noticed it.

"We're after the Last Card, and I just cannot be with you." What a pathetic excuse.

"Are you…are you talking seriously?" She said almost mutely. Her eyes were starting to shine.

"Yes Sakura, I am breaking up with you. I don't hate you. We can still…be friends…"

She started to sob, and I used that chance to clean a tear from her with my golden kerchief, to do my duty…and I was so angry at myself…but I had to do it, for her own good. She raised her hand, as if she was going to hit me, but decided not to, and then smiled, and said in her beautiful voice, not crooked at all: "Finally you open your eyes, right Li?"

"What do you mean?" My voice was crooked.

"You deserve a worthier girl than me." She said happily. "I'm happy you want to be happy. Sorry that I couldn't give you the happiness you needed." And she went away, walking, without turning around, like nothing had happened, with no cries. I wanted to go follow her and tell her it was all planned out, but I couldn't. It would ruin the purpose of the tear. I went running up the stairs passing Sakura and opened the silver door angrily.

"So, you did it, right?"

"Yes, here it is!!!" I said in a crooked voice. I had been sobbing in the way too. I punched the kerchief in his beat desk.

"OK, excellent…OK now…I won't kill her…the deal was that you brought the proof that you broke her love, and this is her tear, right?" I nodded quickly. "I love these businesses."

"Swear you'll do your part."

"I swear I will not harm Kinomoto Sakura."

"Thank you."

"No, my friend, thank you." And the Dark Magician went flying away with dark crow wings and entered a portal, vanishing, and I kneeled to the ground and sobbed freely, regretting everything. But everything, as I knew, was to save my love…how cruel. I had to say good-bye to my most valuable person…


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Tomoyo's Help (Sakura's PoV)

I threw all my Cards and my wand in the bed, while I fell on it and began to cry. I was very, very sad. Even though I said that Li deserved happiness, I felt very bad. And the worst of all is that I didn't understand. My heart was going crazy, and it literally began to hurt. At morning I had revealed how much I loved him, and he smiled at me…and at night, he had told me he didn't want to be with me anymore. How unjust! But more important, how strange and how sad!!!

I grabbed the pillow and cried dramatically. Finally, I decided that I should better go to sleep. I organized my Cards and wand in the desk while recovering from my depression, while I saw a quick glace at the three moons. They were beautiful. Two were bluish gray, and one was yellow. One gray moon was the largest, and the other of the same color was the smallest. I tried to smile at the beauty, but when I did it, I saw Li's face in the largest moon, and began to cry again as I fell in bed again to sleep.

…

The next day, we ate breakfast at the Main Hall. When I saw Li, I quickly got the view away from him as I felt an impulse to shout. In the whole day, we never talked to each other. After eating, I went to see the gardens. But when I saw Li there too, I returned to the castle in fear. I talked with Jade, until I made an interesting question: "And how is the new magician called?"

"I don't really now, Your Majesty."

"But if you don't know, how can you let him inside our castle?"

"He's well known." There was something mysterious in her tone. "Well known, but only by his great and magnificent powers, not by his name. It is said that there's no one who knows his name."

"That sounds mysterious enough. Anyways…could you do me a favor?"

"Anytime, Your Majesty."

"Could your ask King Li (my heart hurt when I pronounced the name Li) what did the magician told him?"

"I'll return with the reply as fast as I can, Queen Sakura." And she went away, as I kept looking at the balcony at the shining sun and at the beautiful green and blue kingdom.

Just before noon, Jade noticed me: "King Li doesn't whish to speak about it, Your Majesty."

"I don't care." I heard myself in an angry tone. "It was our mission to talk to this magician. You must receive a reply even if he doesn't want to 'talk about it', understood?"

"With all due respect Your Majesty, but King Li has more authority than you. I cannot be sent to contradict His Majesty's word. If he doesn't want to talk about it, no one can force him."

"I am the Queen!!!" I roared. "I am her Queen!!! Convince him, now!!!" Jade went away running, while I felt my eyes watery…what was wrong with me? Why had Li's decision broken my heart? I was supposed to be happy that he wanted to be happy…still, I felt angry, and sad. What was wrong?

…

At twilight, a beautiful thing happened. I was informed with Li that there was a girl called "Tomoyo" demanding to enter. I said that she had to come immediately to the Throne Room, where I and Li sat. I felt very uncomfortable, being at Li's side, so I was standing up, looking at the window.

Tomoyo entered the room, and I went to hug her. We greeted each other, and I felt sick when Tomoyo greeted Li too, so I ordered her that we could talk at the gardens. Li stayed there.

While we walked, I began to talk with her: "How did you found us?"

"I was in this kingdom called Troia, and I was taken care of by a nice lady. I heard of you by the news, so when I heard that the kings of the prophecy, King Li and Queen Sakura, had appeared, I had to go."

"But what about Mei Ling?"

"When I got to this world, she wasn't at my side. I hoped she would be already with you."

"No…"

"But hey, tell me! How does it feel to be a queen at Li's side?"

"Don't pronounce his name!" I shouted, and Tomoyo got startled. "I'm…I'm sorry…"

"Sakura…has something between you and Li happened?"

I stopped walking. "We are no longer boyfriends."

"What?!?" Tomoyo shrieked. "But how can that be?"

"It's easy. That man no longer loves me."

"Tell me how exactly happened."

I inhaled and told her the whole story.

"I cannot believe he said that. It doesn't make any sense!"

"I know…that is I what I thought as well…"

"I know he considers you his most valuable person."

"Ha, I'm sure he doesn't."

"You must talk to him and tell him why he broke up with you."

"What?" I raised my voice. "What for?"

"It will never make sense until you clear it up, Sakura."

"Then go and ask that fool why does he act so…so stupidly!" I was really, really angry, and though I thought it was for Li, I wasn't sure if it was him at all.

"Why are you angry at Li? You confessed that he was the most valuable person for you."

"I…I know…" And I began to sob slowly and silently. "That's a thing I don't understand either, Tomoyo! I know I should be happy that my love wants to be happy. I made a promise about that!!! I don't care if he doesn't love me! The only thing I care is his happiness and wellness! Why am I feeling angry?!?!?"

"Sakura…" Tomoyo said calmly. "Have you seen Li happy?"

"No." I suddenly realized that Li hadn't smiled since he told me.

"That's a reason why you're angry. You two are meant to be, and Li knows that!"

"Then why leave me?!?" I sobbed hard while I talked with a crooked voice. "I know we were meant to be happy! He made me happy, and I know that I made him happy as well! I don't know why Tomoyo!!!"

"Then, ask him!"

"I…I think I'll listen to you…"

"Yeah."

"I'll…I'll go talk to him…" I stood up, while the three moons made their appearance. I cleaned my tears in the way to the castle while Tomoyo followed. Finally, I asked Jade where was Li, and I went to the place she indicated. I went to the hall where Li was. He was seeing a large painting, where I and he appeared…when had that be done, I don't remember. Tomoyo hid behind a curtain. I walked valiantly to him. Li turned around, and at the sight of me, he lowered his face slowly and sadly.

"Li…" I said, touching his shoulders, and when that happened, I felt that my heart began to work quickly.

"Sakura…I thought you were never going to talk to me again."

"As you said, we're still friends, right?"

"…right."

"Now it's my turn. I want to talk to you." I said, and he followed me to a corner.

"Please look at me." I said.

"I can't." He said weakly, but I raised his head, forcing him, but he quickly lowered it again.

"Li…are you listening?"

"Yes."

"OK, hear this…"

"Yes?"

"Would you want to be my boyfriend…again?" I blushed horribly, and…Li raised his head, revealing all his red beautiful face. His eyes were watery as mine…I was ready to cry at any moment…

"Yes, I would love to." He said in a crooked voice, and before I could do anything, he made a strange sound, and I stood still. I saw him drop a tear, and he continued: "But I can't…"

I was broken-hearted. It was all a lie…I wasn't for Li the most important person in the world…Tomoyo was wrong…

"I can't be your boyfriend. Sorry Sakura. I love you! I love you with my entire life, and that isn't a lie!!!"

"Then why don't you be my boyfriend? We both love each other, what's the problem?" I asked calmed, trying to understand the situation.

"I…you're the most important person in the world for me…if we were together…we…"

"We what?"

"Not we…you…you would…"

"I would what?"

"Be in danger…"

"I wouldn't be in any danger if we were together!"

"Yes you would…and I can't tell you…sorry Sakura…"

Silence.

"So it was lie…I am not the most important person in the world for you." I said, restraining from crying.

"Then, are my tears lies?!? Is the love I feel for you a lie?!? I am trying to protect you!!! If my love for you was a lie, then, there wouldn't be a thing that was true in the whole universe. I promise." He grabbed my shoulders, and lowered his head shaking: "You don't know how I am suffering."

"Look at me." I said, raising his head with my hand on his chin, and I saw a sad face on him. He was starting to cry silently. "I…so…you worry about me, because I'm in danger if were together again…"

Li nodded slowly…

"We can't have a perfect ending…good night!" He said as he went running away to his room. I stood still.

"Sakura, I…" Tomoyo got out from behind the curtain. "I don't know what happened, I was sure he was going to say yes."

"Well, it turns out he's protecting me from something…"

"You really believe him, don't you?"

"With my entire life…" I smiled. But then, I got an angry face: "When I find the one that is making Li act that way, I'm going to teach him a lesson!"

"Well said, Sakura." Tomoyo said smiling at me, and I smiled at her back.

"You were right. Now that everything is cleared up, I don't feel angry anymore about Shiaroan."

Suddenly, Li came running back, with a pale face. I noticed that he had a red spot on his right cheek, like if he had been hit, and he seemed pretty weak. He ran faster and faster, until he stopped in front of me. He said almost automatically: "Sakura, I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!!! You are nothing for me OK?!? I don't want to see you in the rest of my life, don't you ever dare talk to me again!!!" And he went running away…

"Oh no, Sakura. Are you OK?" Tomoyo said, approaching my side.

"Yes, indeed." I said happily. "My best guess is that he was sent by the man who is doing this. I am not hurt at all. I knew Li would maybe not love me, but hating me was something he wouldn't just simply do, not after we've been through…"

"Who could be the one that is responsible?"  
"I don't know…but maybe…maybe we don't have to talk about that…that man might be spying on us…let's just go to sleep."

"Yes, let's go." And we both went talking to our warm and sweet royal beds (yeah, they had got one for Tomoyo as well). While I sat in bed, I suddenly noticed, because of the moonlight, there was a letter at my desk. I went to get it, and it said: "To Sakura, from Li." I smiled gleefully, and opened it with enthusiasm. It said:

_Dear, lovely Sakura,_

_I made this letter the night we trapped the Copy card, and I was thinking that I should leave this as a warning that I'm in danger, but do not try to help me. I don't want to get you inside of trouble because of me, and you know that. I hope that this letter never is read by your eyes, but if you're reading it, here is my case: I am being watched. I am just giving to this letter to tell you this. Do not attempt to talk to me or to search me, in case I'm out. I'll try to manage something to be at your side again. Don't worry Sakura. As you can see, this letter indicates that I love you, and I want to protect you no matter what, and because of this, I will find a way to defeat the one who's causing me, you, or us, trouble. Remember: do not attempt to help me._

_P.S.: Remember that every flower blossoms at its right time._

_Shiaoran Li_

I read it a second time, and after I finished, I understood the whole concept. He made this as a precaution! He worried about me that much! Wow…I didn't believe I had a boyfriend that intelligent. And so, I decided to obey the letter, and I began to sleep, with Shiaoran's signature in chest. That night, I dreamt with the most valuable person for me…


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 – The Dark Magician (Li's PoV)**

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR BEFORE STARTING: **Because I'm near the end, I have decided to post the last three chapters at June the 24th...because of my brother's birthday. I hope you enjoy.

I fell to the ground, very hurt. I stood up feeling the moonlight above me, and shouted to the one that had hurt me: "I did what you said! I promise you that I'll never talk to her again!!!"

"You are a liar!" The Dark Magician, the one who had conquered Earth and managed to kill Shift, shouted. "Oh, I hope you keep your promise, but just to be sure you'll be a good dog…" And she shot be a dark sphere that sent me flying away while I felt myself electrified…again.

My back hit the tree, and while I fell down sitting, I opened my eyes: "Is that…is that enough?"

"Tell me where your sword is."

"You broke it this morning!"

The Magician flew to me so quick, and before I knew it, I received a kick in the face, while I fell on the ground again. "Do you think I'm stupid? That wasn't the real one!"

"OK, OK, I'll tell you…behind my room's closet."

"Well then. Goodbye." And he vanished. I stood up, and I began to cry while the sky decided to pour rain. I longed to talk to Sakura of what had happened. I knew that she had seen the letter on her desk, but what if she had broke it without reading it because of the things I had said to her? Still, I trusted that Tomoyo would help her with that. So I went up to my room, feeling like a looser…but at the first attempt of defending, my love would be hurt…

…

When I woke up, I saw the Dark Magician there: "You finally wake up, kiddo."

"What do you want, now?"

"Well, you told the truth about your sword." He showed me the broken blade, and I was hurt inside. "But I just came to remind you that you must not talk to Kinomoto Sakura, even if she begs you to talk. The moment you do that, I won't punish you as I did last time, but I will punish her."

"Is that the only condition?"

"Yes."

"I won't talk to her." I said, and the Magician vanished in a spiral out the window. I changed clothes, and walked down to the Main Hall to eat breakfast. There, I saw Sakura sit aside me.

"Good morning, King Li." And she kissed me in the cheek. I blushed, and two things happened at the same time: I felt that my heart melted of joy, and I felt pain in my cheek, as the mark of the Dark Magician's kick was still there.

"I received your letter." She whispered, but not close to my ear. "I don't care if you're being spied on, I'll be accompanying you all day, so I make sure nothing happens to you." I wanted to shout of happiness, and throw my love out of her chair with the strongest of my hugs, but instead of that, I picked up another piece of meat with my fork.

That day, I went to a war meeting. Sakura waited outside while I helped some men of another kingdom with some tactics to attack the enemy. I didn't talk too much, and I observed everything. At the end, I went out, and blushed as I saw Sakura…but I couldn't talk to her. She began to follow me to the gardens.

"If you wonder where Tomoyo is, she's at the store helping the soldiers choose the right food for the bunnies." We went to the gardens, and still I didn't talk to her, I didn't dare.

"You know Li? I know you must be very nervous having me around you, and I know you don't care for yourself, but for me…and I appreciate that. You are the most valuable person for me, and if I'm the same for you, you'll see that one day this whole thing will stay in the past." And she hugged me, and I couldn't resist, but to turn to her and smile, which made her smile greatly. "Besides, I got my Wand prepared…"

Suddenly, I had an idea. I went to the market, and there, everybody looked at us in admiration. My first stop was at a stand that had magical papers with magical pens. I asked for one: "Excuse me lady, do you have one of those magic papers?"

"I only have one with a pen for you, Your Majesty. Here, it is 3,200 rupees." I received the paper and pen.

"My First Guard will pay you before sunset, don't worry. Thanks, ma'am."

"It's always a pleasure to serve you, Your Highness." And I went walking, with Sakura still grabbing tightly my hand.

"What was the paper for?" She asked. I went to a table and wrote down on it "TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU", and the ink dissolved slowly.

Sakura gasped in amazement, while I grinned at her. I began to write down "IF I TALK TO YOU, YOU'LL BE PUNISHED, BUT I CAN STILL WRITE YOU".

"Yes! Li, you're so smart! That's why I love you!"

I smiled, and wrote down: "WE'LL NEED A FORTUNE-TELLER THAT LIVES AROUND HERE. THE MAGICIAN AT THE CASTLE WASN'T GOOD."

"Wasn't good? What do you mean?"

"HE'S THE DARK MAGICIAN THAT ATTACKED EARTH. HE HAS ME UNDER HIS COMMAND."

Sakura gasped. "Then please, let me teach him a lesson!!!"

"NO!"

"Li, he's the one who made our hearts sink!!! I will always love you, but we both suffered because of him."

"I KNOW, BUT FIRST THINGS ALWAYS COMES FIRST. ALL THE FLOWERS BLOOM AT THE RIGHT TIME."

Sakura stood thinking, closed her eyes, and then nodded slowly. I smiled at her, clutching her hand harder in hope, and then she followed me to a small purple house. We entered there, and an old woman quickly greeted us: "My Lord."

"I was informed that you can see the future just as Shift could."

"It could be said, Your Highness, that I'm just a little bit weaker that Shift."

"Well, you could still be useful to your King, am I right?"

"Of course, Your Majesty, of course. What do you wish to know?"

I raised my hand expecting for Sakura to give me the yellow card of True Love. When she got it out, it changed immediately when I touched it. It became pink, just like a Sakura Card, but still there was no name or a picture. I handed the card to the woman: "I want you to tell me when and how this Card can be completely transformed?"

The woman took it, and then, she touched it with her yellow wand. Purple sparks came out from it, and then, they turned to gray smoke that entered a crystal ball on a shelf. The woman went to pick it up and left it on its base. Then, a feminine voice came from the crystal ball: "Only when the true love between two persons is shown, I will show myself to return happiness." Then, the smoke exited the ball and entered the Card, which went flying to Sakura's hand.

"Li, it has finally the name on it." Sakura said, and I looked at it, and yes, the name of TRUE LOVE was there, but still, no picture.

"Thank you, ma'am." I said. "My Second Guard will pay you before sunset."

"It's always a pleasure to serve you, Your Highness. Good luck to you as well, Queen Sakura."

"Thanks, good luck to you too." Sakura said, as we went out of the house. "So, Li, what now?"

"WE'LL TAKE COVER FROM THE RAIN."

Sakura looked up to see a heavy cloud ready to rain. "OK, let's return to the castle." In the way as we ran, I was enjoying each moment with Sakura. I wanted to talk to her, but I had to hide my magic paper from getting wet. So what I did to communicate was to take my cape off and put it on Sakura. When I did this, Sakura smiled and kissed me in the cheek again. I felt my cheek was already cured.

We got to the castle, and we played chess for a while. "I'm enjoying these moments with you." Sakura said, smiling at me, and that was a new smile, which made me blush and take my view somewhere else. I couldn't watch such light. "I don't care if you already know, but I love you so much, Shiaoran. Too bad I can't hear your voice talking to me."

I smiled back, looking at her, and then, soldiers came to tell us of the food. We ate deliciously, and then, we sat on a table, while she talked to me and I wrote her back.

"It's like someone had taken your voice away. That makes it funny, my love." And she hugged me. "You know, this cake reminds me of the one we ate when we just became boyfriends."

I remembered that moment immediately, and smiled. Now, she was the one who made me smile. "THE MAGICIAN JUST PUT THE CONDITION THAT I BROKE YOUR HEART AND NEVER TALK TO YOU. BUT YOUR HEART HAS RECOVERED, AND I'M LITERALLY NOT TALKING TO YOU."

"You're smart, my prince."

Suddenly, Tomoyo appeared, and sat with us. The girls began to talk between them, and Sakura explained everything to Tomoyo, who looked at me with glee. Suddenly, I felt like choking when I saw a silhouette in middle of all the people going and entering. It was him…the causer of my lack of voice…and he was pointing at Sakura. I couldn't let him harm her!!! I stood up immediately, and put myself in front of Sakura. Suddenly, the silhouette disappeared quickly by the entrance, and I followed it. I think that Sakura and Tomoyo didn't see him at all.

I went to the courtyard where it was raining very hard. There, I ran with my best speed following the clues of the Magician. I had to see where he was, so he wouldn't harm Sakura. I followed the traces just forward of me, but I couldn't see if the Magician was there, because there was a mist covering everything. But suddenly, something stopped me: "Shiaoran, where are you?"

I turned around and ran to the voice, but too late, as I saw how the Magician entangled the love of my life.

"Leave her alone!" I shouted.

"You broke the promise, you fool."

"Of course not! I never talked to her, and I broke her heart."

"Oh well, you know that saying of never trusting a bad wizard? Well, now you know."

"Leave her alone, now!!!" I demanded, going closer to him.

"Or what, you don't have a magic sword."

"Who told you that?" And as the Magician game me a confused look, I took out my golden-token collar, and summoned it to make a new sword, which I had received this morning at breakfast as my request.

"You—"

"Fire!!!" I shouted, as a beam of flames went to the Magician who vanished, but it stopped before even bothering Sakura. I used that opportunity to get near Sakura, and say: "Sakura, summon your Wand. It's time we defeat this monster!"

Sakura did so, and we both jumped evading a black sphere the Magician sent us, who was just materializing in front of us: "You fools! I've been easy on Earth, but because of you two, the Earth shall be destroyed twice the faster. I will take care of my brother to begin with the annihilation of Earth!"

"You won't do anything like that, Magician." I shouted. "Thunder!" As the bolt of lightning went past the Magician, Sakura casted a green woman that followed the Magician everywhere. When the Magician was going to shoot something at her, I sent an earth pillar that hit him in the arm, and then, the green woman attacked him. The green woman turned into mist and returned as a Card, but at the same time, a lightning sent by Sakura gave him on the chest.

The Magician fell. I jumped to him with my sword pointing at him, but before touching him, he vanished after touching my forehead and my sword got to the ground. I knew he had gone back to Earth, as he didn't return. We were safe…Sakura was safe…

"Li, look above you!" I immediately did so, but there was nothing to worry about. It was just a Card that was falling. I caught it, and saw it. It was a black Card with the picture of a man and a woman grabbing hands, and the name of DIMENSION.

"Li!" Sakura said gleefully, and as I turned, I saw her running to me, and I ran to her shouting: "Sakura." At the end, I was able to say with my own voice while I hugged her: "I love you, my princess…you're the most valuable person for me in this world and in any world…"

"It's a miracle we're finally together Li. I love you too much, more than you can imagine." She started to sob of happiness in my shirt.

"You don't know how it made me feel to break your heart, but you must understand that it was all to protect you."

"I know, I know…"

"I admire you so much, Sakura. You recovered yourself and looked for the truth, and with Tomoyo's help, you dug through me to get from me the truth…you're the best Sakura…"

"Oh Li!" She hugged me tighter. "I want nothing more but to stay like this for the rest of our lives. While I see your smile, I will smile."

"Sakura, but you're the one who gave me happiness, and taught me the power of love. I owe you that, and don't worry Sakura…even if I'm in the worst of states, or terribly hurt, or under control, I will always, always protect you, because I love you."

"Shiaoran Li…the perfect person…I can't still believe, after all this time, that you're still with me, loving me…I get you in all kinds of trouble…"

"I don't care. If I have to bear every suffering instead of you, I will gladly bear it. Don't forget it."

"I love you Li…you're my King, and even though I know you've seen me smile other times, no one gives me the same happiness but you…you're the most valuable person for me…"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – The Return of the Staff and of Evil (Sakura's Pov)

I woke up from my sweet bed, and yawned. I stood up and saw the sun and smiled. Then, I went to change up in an emerald dress with lots of light crystals. I went to the Main Hall to get breakfast, and, of course, it was delicious as ever, but Li wasn't at my side.

"Hey, Tomoyo. Where's Li?" I asked her.

"He told me that he was going to investigate about that new Card."

"Alone? But that can be dangerous. What if the Dark Magician appears?"

"Trust him, he'll come back safe."

"You're right." And we ate normally. I went to the garden to wait for him, and when I saw him I ran to him, as he smiled, and opened his arms for a hug.

"I went to investigate for the new Card."

"Yes, Tomoyo told me. What did you discover?"

"The woman thinks this can only be used with a Staff…with your Staff."

"Oh yes…how do I miss my Staff—" At the moment I said the word, my 5 Sakura Cards went out, and floated. Suddenly, all of them began to shine, and their brightness was taken out of them while they returned to my pocket and the balls of light went in front of me until something appeared…my Staff had returned!!!

"My…MY STAFF!!!" And I began to hug it while Li observed me happily.

"Now, we can return home and fight with the Dark Magician with the help of our friends."

"No, we can't do that yet." Tomoyo said as she approached us. "We must find Mei Ling first."

"Yes, you're right." I said.

"Sakura, then use this Card to take us where Mei Ling is." Li said as he threw me the Dimension Card and I caught it, and I began the ritual, which felt very, very good: "Noble Card…take the three of us to the exact place where Mei Ling is…Dimension!!!" And I felt weird, and then, all of a sudden, the lights were out, and in a minute later, on again. We landed on the village of Troia. I looked around, and saw Mei Ling there, selling watermelons.

"Mei Ling!" Tomoyo shouted, as she ran to her, and while she turned, she smiled and went to hug her. Everyone greeted.

"But, how did you find me?"

"We have a new Card." Sakura said, raising up the Dimension Card.

"Oh well…oh wow, Sakura, is that your Staff?" Mei Ling asked, and Sakura nodded happily.

"But then, that means we—"

"That we can return." Tomoyo said. "We'll be able to fight aside Eriol, Yue, and Kero."

"You're right. Let's get going." I said.

"Wait a minute." Li said, and I turned to him. "Could please lend me your Staff and all of your Sakura Cards?"

"Oh…sure…" I said, while I gave my love everything he requested. Why would he want all of that? Suddenly, Li jumped to a ceiling.

"Li, what are you doing?" Mei Ling asked. Suddenly, the Dark Magician appeared aside Li.

"Li, watch out!!!" I shouted as quickly and as loud as I could.

"You fools!" The Dark Magician said, and impressively, Li grinned, but didn't move. Instead, he handed the Cards and the Staff to the Dark Magician.

"Li, what are you doing?!?" I shouted.

"Shiaoran Li has worked all this time for me." The Dark Magician said, while he patted Li on his shoulder. "Only when the master of the Cards gave the Cards with such love, the Cards changed allegiance. And now, they're all mine!"

"Li, how could you?" Mei Ling asked highly.

"It was easy. Since our first kiss I began to work with him." Li said, something evilly, and with a red spark coming from his eyes. I felt that my heart had broken, and this was for real, or so I felt it like that. "If I got the love of the Cardcaptor, our plans would have worked, and they did work."

I fell to the ground, on my knees, with my eyes wide open: "Li…how could you…I…"

"You were always a simple girl. But hey, these romantic techniques really worked." Li said, while grinning with such evil. "When you shouted at me because of me going to Hong Kong, you almost caught me, but not from that time forward, uh? Besides, it was my partner here who killed my mother, and I allowed it. That way, I would have an excuse to return to Japan to fulfill my mission."

"Li…I…loved you…" I said almost mutely. This made Li act strange, as he grabbed his head, and I think he was in pain.

"Well, I'll go off. Goodbye, you useless Cardcaptor." And the Dark Magician disappeared as thin air, while it seemed that Li recovered his senses, as he blinked a lot, and seemed dizzy.

"Li, you're such a…such a double-crosser!" Mei Ling shouted. Li fell from the ceiling and landed, with his eyes open as dishes.

"LI!!!" I shouted, and started to sob.

"Everything is lost because of you!!!" Mei Ling said, as she stomped her foot on the ground. I closed my eyes, I couldn't see Li, not after his actions.

"I—I don't…" Li began, but didn't seem to know what to say.

"Because of you my aunt is dead!!!" Mei Ling said, very angrily.

"I didn't mean that! I was possessed. Really! You have to believe me." Li finally said, and his tone was desperate.

"Possesed? You liar!"

"I am not lying!!!" Li said, still desperate. "Please…Sakura, you have to believe me!"

"I…I…" I didn't know what to say, but finally, I inhaled, meditating. Li had been my love, and he had swore he would always protect me, his princess. Maybe it was for real that he was possessed. So I said: "Li, I believe in you."

"Y—You do?" Li asked, impressed.

"How can you?" Mei Ling asked me.

"Li has been the one who has protected me for a long time, and I know that he loves me with his life. He was possessed. I trust him."

"Thank you Sakura." Li said, finally relaxing.

"But we cannot relax!" Tomoyo said. "We're hopeless here. We won't be able to get back to Earth in time."

"We'll find a way." Li said. "Or at least, I'll find a way. All the bad things that happen to all of you are because of me…so, as Sakura should know, I always come prepared." And he got out a Dimension Card.

"That Card…how did you--?" I started, but my crooked voice was interrupted by the angelical voice of Li: "I asked the woman to make a copy. It took time, but it will work. Here." He gave it to me, and I took it. I cleaned my face.

"Yes, let's go to Earth before it is too late." Tomoyo said.

"I still don't trust him." Mei Ling said.

"Mei Ling, I understand why you don't trust me, but…remember the promise you made me when we were little." Li said, and Mei Ling quickly lowered her head, and nodded. "So, Sakura, when you're ready, make the portal. I trust on you." He touched my shoulder, and I touched his hand with my fingers, thinking…had I made the wisest choice? My love blinded me…but I didn't care…

"Noble Card…sent the four of us back to the Earth world…Dimension!!!" At the touch of my Wand, the Card made electrical noises, and disappeared. But before I could ask any questions at Li, I took a last glance at him as the lights went off and on again, just as before.

…

There, we appeared in middle of darkness, literally. I looked around. We were on a glass floor or something, and some purple stars could be seen below. Seeing everything well, it seemed like were in middle of the universe, on a very invisible floor.

"This can't be Earth." Tomoyo said, thinking. I looked at her. "The Dimension Card must have made a mistake."

"The Cards never make a mistake." Li said, turning to me. I suddenly noticed that Li had less bright than before, and by before, I mean very, very long ago. I didn't know where had his brightness lowered. "Someone changed our route on purpose."

"It must be that Magician again!" Mei Ling said. "Sakura, you should be prepared." I tightened my Wand, but what for? I didn't have any Cards left or anything like that, only the Dimension Card…no…not even that anymore; it had vanished, as I realized it was nowhere around me or inside my clothes.

Suddenly, black mist appeared, and it materialized into the Dark Magician, who said: "Thanks for bringing them here, Li. I should kill them all before Earth, right?"

"Li?" I saw him, expecting if he was going to betray me…and he did: "Of course, M'Lord."

"Li!" I shouted, impressed. Again Li grabbed his head and fell into the floor. After shouting, he said: "No! I won't be under control anymore!"

"Very well then." The Magician said, and Li suddenly began to gasp for air, trying to calm down. "Then let's make your heart talk…Kinomoto Sakura!" I felt a horrible chill on my spine. "Your prince will tell you now what he really thinks of you." The Magician pointed a hand to Li, who immediately changed, because his view seemed like numb.

But the most valuable person for me began to talk…


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 – Before the Last Battle (Li's Pov)

I woke up suddenly. I began to rub my head, as it hurt. I saw Sakura on the floor, her eyes ready to cry. I ran to her, kneeled, and grabbed her by the shoulders: "Sakura, what's wrong?"

"Li!!!" Mei Ling shouted, and she raised her fist.

"No Mei Ling, he's awake." Tomoyo replied.

"Sakura!" I shouted, shaking her.

"It's nothing…" She said mutely.

"Mei Ling, what happened?" I asked.

"You—you began to talk horrible truths to her." Mei Ling said, shaking.

"What truths?" I asked, looking Sakura, who was shaking. "What truths?!?" I repeated, but Mei Ling shook her head and Tomoyo kept looking at Sakura. I stood up and turned around: "You! What did you do? What did you make me tell her?"

"Li, stop acting. It's not necessary now." The Dark Magician said. His resemblance with Eriol was more visible now, as his hood had fallen down. Actually, his only difference was his face (more older), and his eyes with no glasses, but still with red sparks.

"I'm not acting, and I never did. I don't know what I have done while being your puppet, but I promise Sakura's heart that I won't fall for you again." I had that much of certainty.

"Like if you ever find it again. Well, your work is done. With Sakura's heart in apathy, her magic is low, and I can finish the Cardcaptor." The Dark Magician was quicker than I thought. As he glided to Sakura, I summoned my sword and attacked, but was blocked by something, like a purple shield made out by the Dark Magician.

"This is great! I can feel your anger! Why don't enjoy a good battle before destroying everything?" The Dark Magician shouted in satisfaction, while I tried to shove him out. I managed to pull him to me and try to attack, but we battled. Even though I tried to hit with the best of my speed I couldn't manage to touch him. Finally, when I was tired enough, he kicked me out of the way and I fell near Sakura.

"Not strong enough to give me the satisfaction of a battle…" He said. I got up, gasping. I looked at my right, and Sakura was still numb.

"Sakura, you must react!" I shouted. "You must fight!"

"No, you told it yourself." My heart bumped horribly. "Why stand up if I can't do anything?"

"Sakura, whatever I said, they were plain lies, OK? That Dark Magician is trying to take your magic through me. But you must resist it! You are the Cardcaptor!"

"How do I know they're plain lies?"

"Li, watch out!" Mei Ling shouted, and I turned around to see a big fireball heading our way.

"GO!" I shouted. I grabbed Sakura and jumped aside. Both of us managed to dodge the fireball. "Is everyone OK?" I saw Mei Ling and Tomoyo. They were fine.

"You don't love me…" I heard Sakura say in the floor. She seemed very depressed.

"No Sakura, I do more than love you. I really do." I tried to say in my most gentle and convincing voice.

"What a boring kind of battle. Let's finish this once and for all!" The Dark Magician said as I saw that he brought out a green Card from his cloak. "See this, Shiaoran Li? I like to call it the Death Card." I gulped, but gripped my sword tighter. "Let me see if it can take four at the same time. Death!!!" Before a green, grotesque-looking beam came toward us, I closed my eyes and embraced Sakura…but I felt nothing hitting me.

Very slowly, I opened my eyes, and turned around.

There was a transparent, white half-sphere around us. In front of where I was looking, where the beam was supposed to have attacked, there was a pink card. The Card of True Love.

"What?!?" The Dark Magician shouted impressed, and he shot a black beam to the shield, but I had my eyes open to see that the beam disappeared as it touched our shield. "How could that Card get out of my clothes?"

Suddenly, a Staff and 5 light rectangles came from the Dark Magician's clothes. He tried to grab the last one, but it seemed like his hand never touched it. The Cards and the Staff, shining with glorious light, went toward us. They passed the shield easily like water, and stood in front of Sakura. I watched back. She had raised her head. The camera in Tomoyo's handbag began to float and stood in front of Sakura as its screen opened and turned on. As I felt safe inside the shield, I went aside Sakura to see the camera's content…and there we were, sat on the restaurant eating:

---"What are you seeing, Li?" Sakura asked, as I was seeing through some bushes.

"Uh? Oh, nothing, I thought I saw something…" (So Tomoyo was the one who was recording, I knew someone was there.)

"You wouldn't be seeing another girl, right?" She said, laughing.

"Of course not! I…I only have eyes for you." I said somewhat automatically.

"And you do have them very pretty."

"Oh, please Sakura, don't make me blush. Besides, you have them a lot prettier."

"I love you, Shiaoran." (I turned to see Sakura, who seemed to have more radiant eyes.)

"I love you more, Sakura. Oh look, here's the cake." Then the waitress appeared and left a delicious chocolate piece of cake in front of us. (I had a chill. Soon it would be our first kiss.)

"Please take the first bite." I said handing her a spoon. She took it, but said: "No, you take it."

"No, you, please."

"No, Shiaoran. You're the invited, please take it. Don't make me insist."

"…alright." I took the spoon and took the first bite.

"Nor that it was so important, but anyway." She said, and I laughed. I put an arm around her and hugged her, while we ate from the same cake.

"And Shiaoran, how much do you love me?"

"Too much."

"Oh, c'mon, be more specific."

"I would die for you."

"Don't be so dramatic!"

"Don't be so demanding." She giggled. (I saw how Sakura looked surprised and happy in her eyes, and which one of them dropped a bright tear.)

"But it's true, Sakura." I said sweetly as ever.

"Are you serious?" She said blushing.

"…what do you guess?" I said grinning at her when she turned to see my eyes, and she let out her cutest smile to answer the question I asked her (or that's what I guess she was trying to do). And then, she finished her last bite of the cake and put her arms around me, and I still continued to eat the cake.

"You don't know how happy you make me." I said (and I remember that I was thinking 'Now what do I tell her to make her happy? I have to be a good and romantic boyfriend…or have I seen so many of Mei Ling's movies?'). "When I was in the plane returning to Hong Kong, I was fighting the urge to get out running, catch with you and hug you." She smiled at me.

"So, what about the teddy bear I gave you? Do you still conserve him?"

"Yes, of course, why wouldn't I?" She said, giving a smile, as she blushed. "You still haven't given me anything for a reminder." I said, and then took another cake bite.

"Does that mean you'll forget me?" She said, with an intention of annoying me again.

"No, I don't mean that. Let's forget that reminder, OK?" She exhaled, and got near my face. I look impressed when she closed her eyes and I started to receive a kiss.

Suddenly, I separated, and she watched me with a sad face, when I smiled at her with a dreamy face and hugged her with my two hands.

"I love you Sakura." I said behind her, while she still hugged me. We separated, and looked at each other for a time, and she responded sweetly: "Me too, Li." And then, I turned to eat the last bite of the cake, leaving nothing in the dish.---

The camera turned off and returned quickly to Tomoyo's handbag, as I heard a powerful and noble voice coming from all the Cards: "Now, stand up, Sakura." I turned to look at her, and I noticed she launched at me and hugged me.

I sensed her perfume, her hair, her arms, and the useless attacks of the Magician. I opened my eyes, and by the time I put my arms in her back, very happy, she filled my face with sweet kisses while she repeated: "I love you, I love you, I love you!"

I got up, helping her, but she tackled me with a hug again, and I tried to hug her back and stay in balance. I saw that Tomoyo and Mei Ling seemed very, very happy. I let off, and Sakura, with the best of her smiles told me: "The Cards are very wise. They managed to get off this numb curse I had, and they have showed me that you really love me. I'm sorry, but hey, those things you said about me really hurt me."

"Could you please tell me what lies did I tell you?"

"I don't think it would be necessary."

"Whatever you prefer, my sweet princess." I touched her chin, as she smiled. I saw her moving eyes, and they shined with such happiness, that I couldn't resist smiling more.

"OK, now that I'm cured, and that we have the Cards, we'll be going to defeat this Magician once and for all."

"Very well."

"But first, we must take Tomoyo and Mei Ling to a safe place." Sakura turned to them, and they looked disappointed, but I knew they understood.

"It's for your own good." I said, and then they nodded.

"I'm sure you're both going to do it, just like you have managed to win the other times." Tomoyo said.

"Yeah, you'll totally win, because I know you'll love will make you work perfectly as a battle team." Mei Ling said. Sakura lifted her Dimension Card, and said: "Noble Sakura Card…transport Mei Ling and Tomoyo to a safe place on Earth…Dimension!!!" And in some seconds they vanished in a flick.

I turned to the Magician angrily: he had been the causer of all our troubles, and I just had to end it. "Whenever you're ready Sakura, you can take out this shield."

"OK, I'm ready." She said, joining at my side. "Return Card." The True Love Card went flying to her hand, and the moment the most valuable person for me grabbed it, the shield disappeared…


	20. Chapter 20 and Epilogue

Chapter 20 – The Last Battle (Sakura's Pov)

The Magician started to attack us. I wanted to do the same technique that I had done before. I launched Forget to the Magician and then threw Lightning. The Magician evaded the attacks and went to the attacking Li, and my love made the Magician fall with a fireball.

"Well done, Li." I said, while the Magician stood up. He launched a green ball to Li, who seemed just to have pushed him away. I launched Nightmare at the Magician, and the Card and he battled for a while, but not for much. When the Magician won, I threw Fire to him, but he threw a blue beam to me. The fire and the beam met, making a golden ball in the middle of them, letting off sparks. I clutched my Staff as the Fire advanced to the Magician. Before the golden ball touched him, the fire and the beam broke, and he launched a black smoke to me as I went out flying.

I opened my eyes to see Li and the Magician fighting with elemental magic. Before I prepared Evil, Li had already thrown the Magician away with a kick after taking him off balance with a lightning.

"Surrender, Magician." Li said, pointing his sword to the Magician, who was just recovering. I felt a jolt of hope. Li was very powerful. I smiled. We would win.

The Magician suddenly stood up, and after some swift hits with his sword (which was filled with dark aura) kicked Li out of the way.

"Li!" I shouted, while I ran to the Magician, as I summoned Evil to attack the Magician. Immediately after that, I threw the Copy card and point it at Li. I said to the new copies of Li: "Attack the Magician!" While the Magician struggled with the clay-like woman who was pasting to him in every place, the new Li's went to attack the Magician with their swords and their magic.

"Li!" I said to the real one, as I saw he was moving toward me, his hand in his side. I ran to him and grabbed him: he seemed weak.

"Don't worry about me." He said. "Let me show you one of the two Cards Yellohok gave me before leaving." He stood up, and got out a golden Card, while he shouted: "Light!" A white beam with a sun head went to the Magician with a great speed, and it hit him. The Magician began to shout as rays of light came out from him. The Evil and the copies of the Li's came to our side, while the Magician fell to the floor, until the lightness disappeared from him.

"I repeat it, Magician, surrender." Li said, and in his tone I found hope again. But the Magician laughed maniacally, and said: "You don't remember how your mother died, do you?"

Li frowned, but the Magician continued: "Let me tell you how that happened. You see, you were so depressed when Mei Ling told you things that remembered you about Sakura, that I used that opportunity to kill one of the persons who still had magic. I was still just a presence, you see? My stupid brother had imprisoned me as a spirit, and I couldn't do anything but to observe, though I could only look magic. And what I saw, was your magic, your mother's magic, your girlfriend's magic, my brother's magic, and the guardians' magic."

"Tell me more." Li said, and in his tone I could hear that he was angry and anxious. I tried to hold his hand, but he shoved away, looking angrily at the Magician, who laughed and started to talk again: "Your mother's magic was weak, as you remember she was sick…but enough for my needs. Because your magic was so low, I could use you…thanks to you, as your cousin said, you mother is dead. You killed your mother, as I controlled you." Li gulped, and a tear went down his face. "I absorbed your mother's magic, which made me recover a body. I wasn't strong enough still. So I went to Sakura's house, where the silly one had left all of her Cards. I knew it was secure because she was at school and you were working. No one was home! The Cards gave me the magic I needed, and so, I became anxious to taste your magic…"

"You liar!!!" Li shouted, and I became afraid. I had never seen him so desperate. His amber eyes, which revealed the nobleness and the bravery of a lion, now revealed hatred and pain.

"Yes, let me taste your magic…attack me, Shiaoran Li…" Li dashed to him with such hatred, that I felt it, but then I shouted: "Don't do it Li, that's what he wants you to do!!!" And it was true. The Magician planned to absorb Li's magic, as I saw he prepared something in his right hand, which looked like little blue balls spinning slowly.

"Li's, go and protect Li!!!" I shouted, as the copies obeyed me, and they hit between the Magician's attack and Li. There was a loud, strange noise, and Li fell behind me. The copies had disappeared, and when the smoke ceased, the Magician was unharmed, but angry: "This is the last time you interfere, Cadcaptor. Your love has protected the magic of all the ones near you from me, so…I won't forgive you anymore, I will absorb your magic right away by the hard method…Death!!!" I gasped and gaped at how a green beam went to me. I closed me eyes and embraced myself, and shouted the last Card I had: "Dimension!!!" But I heard, with my eyes very tight, my love's voice say: "Shield!!!"

…

I opened my eyes after hearing a horrible and detestable sound, though I couldn't describe it. The Magician was in front of me, kneeling, with his eyes like plates, looking scared. Finally, he went down to the floor and didn't move anymore. I looked around for Li, and he was there at the floor too, and I sensed something, or in other words, I didn't feel what I had to feel about Li: I didn't feel his magic. Oh no!

"LI!!!" I ran to him, fearing for the worst. I kneeled beside him. "Li…" I said, shaking him hoping for his life. I didn't have tears left, or that's how I felt.

"Sakura…you did it…I knew you could…you are the most perfect magician there has ever existed…and…the best companion too…"

"What happened?"

"I casted Shield…to protect you…and as you casted…Dimension…the mixture of these two Cards…made the Death magic return to the…Magician…though it managed…to hit me too…"

"Li, please, don't go!" He looked paler, like he was tired, and I saw him with so much sadness. I could see my reflection in the glow of his happy eyes.

"I will go in peace…knowing I…was able to help you somehow…please…don't cry…" I started sobbing silently. I grabbed his hand, and he grabbed it back, squeezing it gently.

"Li, if you want me to be happy, don't go…please!!!" I said kind of desperately. He was on the ground, laid down comfortably, and I was kneeled down, looking at his dreamy and tired face, ready to depart.

"Forget me…" He said easily.

"How?" I recognized that was an impossible request.

"Sorry I couldn't help you…with that part…" I dropped a tear.

Li smiled weakly, his beautiful amber eyes were half open: "You haven't changed, Sakura…my princess…" I blushed, thinking it was impossible in that situation, though I didn't smile…not ever at that time…

"Li…don't…" I didn't have voice to say what I wanted, and I didn't know what I wanted to say…my voice was frozen after he had been hit…all I wanted was his life…

"Remember…when I was in the airport…going to Hong Kong…?" He asked, ignoring me.

"Yes."

"What did I…ask you…before leaving?" He coughed, and I skipped a heart beat.

"You said…you said you wanted to see my smile before you left." And I automatically understood the point he was trying to reach.

"Do that again…please…" I gave the best smile I could…but it obviously wasn't real…

"Life's very unjust you know…? But nature isn't…as I told you…I would risk…my own life for your sake…I didn't have a life…before…there in Hong Kong…learning from stupid powerful magic…I started to live…when you were with me…" I sobbed harder, looking at him, sadly.

"I love you Li, please!!! Don't go!!!!!!" I squeezed his hand, and then tried to embrace him, but I retracted, thinking I might hurt him, so I just continued with his hand.

"Sakura…" He said weaker than before.

"Li…?"

"Can you…remember our times…?"

"Sure…"

"That's good…I…can't really…just fragments…"

"Li…"

"Remember…those good times…please…remember for me…" It was an order, not a question, and I obeyed him in my mind…

"_Shiaoran…Shiaoran, even if you don't feel anything towards me anymore…I love you. You're my most valuable person!"_

"_For me too…Sakura…" I didn't get it at first. Wasn't his most important feeling been sacrificed instead of mine, as the 53th Clow Card decided to take Li instead of me? It took me time to smile back as Li smiled at me with love._

"_Sakura…words can't express what I really feel about you, and the nearest to them would be that I love you so much. You're the most important person for me in the world. If you want to…you can get far from me, or hit me, whatever you want, but I want to see again your sweet smile. And I thinking that I always wanted you to make you happy, and it turns out I made you cry. I will never forgive myself, even if you do forgive__ me, which I doubt. Sakura…" I stopped sobbing, and I quickly turned to him and gave him a kiss. He kissed me back._

"_Li, you don't know how much I regret the recent events. You don't know how much I love you. You don't know how much I need you. You don't know many things you should know." He saw me and kissed me in my forehead, and then he whipped my tears. "So, you really accept me…it was true…I can't believe how brave you are to forgive me for my foolishness." I said, starting to hug him again, this time, hugging him tighter._

"_You're such a silly girl! I can't believe what you did!" Li said, with an angry tone, separating from me more brusquely, but I didn't care. I didn't get off the hold of him, but still, I started to hug gentler. "For first, you're telling truths." I said, smiling, and he calmed down, and smiled back._

"_Sakura, I—" I started, but I was interrupted._

"_No Li, there's nothing to say…we're both OK…"_

"_No it's not that…I am so sorry…"_

"_Sorry?"_

"_If I had defeated the Magician that kidnapped you, none of this would have happened."_

"_And you're sorry for that?"_

"_And much more…I regret everything, starting from the moment you liked me…if I hadn't interfered in your life, you wouldn't have suffered."_

"_You regret that?!?"_

"_Yes Sakura, I do."_

"_I hate it when you make yourself the silly one. Do you really think you're the one to be blamed, to be forgiven?!?"_

"_Completely."_

"_Well, you're such a perfect angel, a perfect person, a perfect man, a perfect boy…a perfect boyfriend who is brave enough to be with a dangerous and coward girl like me."_

"_I have suffered while seeing you Sakura…that Nightmare was strong with me, I lost…I made my love fill in my intelligence, that I came to rescue you late."_

"_What are you talking about? Li, you know I love you, love you, love you, love you. If you were a ghost, I would carry my ghost detector to follow you everywhere. If you were an ant, I would dig all my life to find you when you go underground. If you were a card, I would always, always, see you…Li…I'm so sorry to have gotten you in this unnecessary danger…you know I'm a fool."_

"_No, Sakura, you're not."_

"_Yes, don't lie. I'm a super fool, the most fool of the fools. Shouting you, acting like a crazy, harming you…an angel, a perfect love, the unreached marvel, the living human hope…"_

"_Well, that makes me a fool as well, doesn't it?"_

"_Why?"_

"_It is asked: who is more fool? The fool or the fool that follows her?"_

"_You know, Sakura? You're very brave, and strong. I know you can do many things by yourself, though I try to protect your from everything. But, when we found the last card, I want you to obey me if I say to run away, OK?"_

"_What? Li, n—"_

"_Please, Sakura. You must run away if I say it, OK?"_

"…_fine." I said, kind of harshly. I didn't want to argue, not since by greatest life mistake. Li was caring about me, and I appreciated that, but to tell me to run away and leave him alone fighting? It was impossible. Besides, why did he think the last card would be very hard to capture?_

"_Sakura…" Li whispered, still seeing at the moon. "I know you're kind of angry because of what I just told you, but…you're everything to me. You know I would give everything for you, even my life, because nothing of my possession is as valuable as…you…" I blushed. I loved when he got romantic, hehe. "You must understand that you must continue living in case of—"_

"_Oh, Li!" I stood up, I had to tell him. "You're scaring me. You're my complete life as well, and I would give everything for you too. But, why do you know the last card will be almost impossible? If you tell me to run away, either I stay with you fighting or you escape with me!"_

"_Sakura…"_

"_Why do you always want to solve things alone? I'm with you. I'm sure when we find the last card we will be able to capture it no matter what, as long as we're together. After that, then we'll fight the magician in our world."_

"_Sakura, one thing I've learned from you is to fight for others—"_

"_Then don't rob my idea!" I said highly, and then he smiled, and then said: "Of course."_

"_Mei Ling has been like my only true sister. She has been my first friend, and she'll always be. She promised that when I was just a little kid. Besides…sh__e's my only family left…" I grabbed his arm, and she turned to me. He saw my sad face approach his and I closed my eyes, while we kissed gently and full of love. When we separated, I said: "I consider you part of my family now, Li." He smiled at me. "You have an angel's face, did you know that?" He said, while he touched my face, which smiled and blushed._

"_You have one too."_

"_I don't care how many times you say you're a fool or you're not special, because you're the perfect girl."_

"_The perfect girl?!?" I__ asked, surprised._

"_What boy wouldn't want a girl like you? A brave girl, a girl that possesses magic, a girl that imprisons your look in her eyes, a noble girl, one who always thinks in her friends, a girl full of love…a Cardcaptor." I giggled, and blushed as I tightened his arm sweetly. He raised his arm to play with my hair, and then I rested on his lap._

"_This makes me feel like we're under the penguin again." I said._

"_The days when I stayed with you were wonderful."_

"_All my days since we're a couple have been wonderful."_

"_You're right…ignoring all our troubles we have had with the cards." I laughed. "I love when you laugh."_

"_Li, you're way of making me feel like your princess is incredible." I went to look at him, and he blushed._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_You're so, so, so romantic."_

"_Does that make you feel uncomfortable?"_

"_The entire contrary, Shiaoran." I sat up and then hugged him tightly like a kid hugs a teddy bear, while I said: "You make my heart the happiest, Shiaoran…Shiaoran…"_

"_It's a miracle we're finally together Li. I love you too much, more than you can imagine." __I started to sob of happiness in his shirt._

"_You don't know how it made me feel to break your heart, but you must understand that it was all to protect you."_

"_I know, I know…"_

"_I admire you so much, Sakura. You recovered yourself and looked for the truth, and with Tomoyo's help, you dug through me to get from me the truth…you're the best Sakura…"_

"_Oh Li!" I__ hugged him tighter. "I want nothing more but to stay like this for the rest of our lives. While I see your smile, I will smile."_

"_Sakura, but you're the one who gave me happiness, and taught me the power of love. I owe you that, and don't worry Sakura…even if I'm in the worst of states, or terribly hurt, or under control, I will always, always protect you, because I love you."_

"_Shiaoran Li…the perfect person…I can't still believe, after all this time, that you're still with me, loving me…I get you in all kinds of trouble…"_

"_I don't care. If I have to bear every suffering instead of you, I will gladly bear it. Don't forget it."_

"_I love you Li…you're my King, and even though I know you've seen me smile other times, no one gives me the same happiness but you…you're the most valuable person for me…"_

"What will happen to me in the future without you?!?" I asked, getting to the present fast, ignoring all the tears pouring freely from my eyes.

"Try…try to live on…live on…"

"How can't you be sad?!? You're smiling at me!!!" I exclaimed suddenly noticing his smile. He looked beautiful.

"I am happy…because life…is giving me the chance…to say goodbye…to you…and that you will live on…I will die with a smile…"

"NO YOU WON'T!!!" I shrieked out. "You're far too good, far too kind…there must be something here that can cure you!!!"

"You know you can't cure me…I was struck by the Death card…I'm lucky to have…these last moments…with you…"

"Li…Li…my love…why?!? WHY DID YOU PROTECT ME?!?!?! BESIDES, HE SWORE HE WOULDN'T HARM ME, YOU TOLD ME THAT!!!!!!!!!"

He gave a little laugh: "He said that never…trust the bad magicians…and besides…as I said to you…that's what a prince…is supposed to do…protect…his princess…I…I want you to know that…I love you…more than you can imagine…" He raised his pinky, and I understood immediately, and grabbed his pinky with mine, and he smiled, while I sobbed harder. With his beautiful smile, he started closing his eyes.

"Goodbye…tell Mei Ling…and Tomoyo…I love them too…" He completely shut his eyes. "Sakura…I…did it…for…you…" The last words were almost mute, and his breathing was cut off. He put his hand in his pocket, and got out a hand with a beautiful rose, but then, he stood immobile.

"Li? Li?!? LI!!!! WAKE UP!!! NO!!!! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And I punched the ground, looking at my Li…no…why…? He was now gone forever. I continued to cry on his chest, hitting the floor in misery, and shout like crazy, I didn't care. Suddenly, a said in a low tone, still crying: "Why? Why?" Li didn't move. "I would have given everything for you…" And I crouched to his chest again crying, after seeing his beautiful resting face. Suddenly, there was a glow in my pocket…a card came out from it…the empty True Love card that would only transform really when I had demonstrated true love. The shine broke, to show a pink card with the drawing…at last…

Suddenly, I had an idea. I got my new True Love card and said: "Noble Sakura Card…sacrifice my second most important thing in the world, and revive my love…True Love!!!" And I hit the card shouting the last words. A beautiful yellow bright woman came out from the card, and looked at me…she seemed touched…and she dashed to Li, introducing into him entirely…there were some seconds of silent after I saw the last of True Love get into him…I felt another tear fall down my cheek…but I didn't give up the hope…

Suddenly, Li moaned, and made a hurt face…he opened a little his eyes…and then he opened them completely, seeing me. I quickly ran and embraced him…he was OK!!! HE WAS ALIVE!!!

Suddenly, the yellow bright woman appeared behind Li, and we both finished hugging. I knew now that I had to give my second most important thing…

"Do you know what is your second most important thing in the world?" The card asked.

I stood ashamed. I didn't know, and I ignored Li's bewildered looks. I didn't care…suddenly, Li sat up in front of me, and turned to the woman: "You'll have to pass through me."

"No Li, I just revived you!" I said, trying to budge him aside, but he stood still.

"No Sakura, I just died for you!"

"Li, if you die, I would do the same procedure to revive you…"

"You're right." The yellow bright woman said before Li said anything to defend. "So I would take this boy's life, and then my master would revive him, and then there would an unending circle. Therefore, I won't take your second most important thing…may you be happy…if you excuse me…" And she transformed into a shiny card quickly in less than a second that landed automatically in my pocket. I turned to Li, suddenly feeling my eyes wet.

We were looking at each other, full of love and happiness…

"Why Sakura…why did you do that, risking yourself…why?" He asked with a beautiful voice.

I tackled him with a hug, and he hugged me back, and I cried in his chest.

"Sakura…?"

"Do you really need an explanation of why I did it?" I said…he smiled even more as I raised my head for a moment to see him, and we both kissed…that was the best kiss of our lives yet…we kissed passionately…then we hugged, until we separated our kiss and started to laugh, while I landed on his lap, and he brushed my hair…just like if we had returned back in time beneath the penguin slide…with no worries, with no missions…

"I love you Li." I said, grabbing tightly his hand, and closing my eyes with a smile. I had never been so happy in my life.

"I love you Sakura." He said, and he continued brushing my hair. I wanted to sleep, to rest…I was so comfortable…

"You may sleep if you want." What Li said made me giggle.

"And loose these magnificent moments with you? Yeah, right."

"Well then, let's return." Li said, standing up, helping me.

"Why?" I asked innocently.

"Let's save the Earth, as a couple of magic heroes…"

"…as the magical couple we are…"

"…could you do me the favor, my princess?"

"Sure, my prince." I got out the Dimension card. "Noble Sakura Card, take us to the Earth world, where we have to complete our duty…Dimension!!!" The card made itself a giant light ball in front of us. We grabbed hands instinctively, and this time we counted together: "One…two…three!" And we jumped…

…

There, we saw the horrid things in the world…humans were like zombies, and everything was dark and empty, so evil…I looked at houses, that were destroyed, and there was no grass, and even if it looked like night, there wasn't a moon. It seemed everything was covered in a thundering black cloud…the humans were just passing through the surviving streets, looking all depressed…but I knew I could reverse everything…

"Noble Sakura Card, put this entire horrible nightmare back into you…Nightmare!!!"

"Noble Sakura Card, feed of all the evil this people have, and get it out from them…Evil!!!"

"Noble Sakura Card, copy all the resting buildings and put them in different areas of the world…Copy!!!"

"Noble Sakura Card, make everyone forget the time when they were ruled by the magician, but make them remember everything before that event…Forget!!!"

"Noble Sakura Card, return all the love and happiness to these people, and return the ones who have perished in these events…True Love!!!"

And everything got right…the sky got blue, the people looked realer and nicer, as they scratched their heads in confusion, and buildings started to be rebuilt quickly, as magic…everything was getting back to normal. Suddenly, a lot of light rectangles came from the sky, and went to me. My Sakura Cards. Suddenly, all of them went to my pocket, except one…Hope…the Card said: "All the destruction made is still here. Do you want me to rebuild everything as I did before?"

"Yes, please. Noble Sakura Card, rebuild everything that is destroyed again…Hope!!!" Some holes rebuilt, and water appeared in new lakes, as trees remerged from the earth quickly.

"You did it…" Li said, looking at me with a dreamy smile, and I blushed tremendously…he seemed so cute, and so loving, and the best of all, he was my boyfriend. It reminded me of the time when we were on the tower, after the defeat of the sealed card. The same smile he had before…

"I couldn't have done it without your help." I said. I stayed looking forward, and so did Li…we were impressed of the new beauty we had created…the old Earth again, without the Dark Magician…suddenly, I noticed Li looking at me again, gazing…

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked blushing. "See the beauty of the city. Life is back."

"Sakura, I could have a very beautiful thing in front of my eyes, but I would always change my view to you."

"And if you had the most beautiful thing in the universe in front of your eyes?"

"I would be seeing you." I blushed, and continued seeing the city.

"I'm so proud of you, Sakura." Li said. "But I don't think that matters, hehe, as I think you already know. Let's go see the others." He started to walk down the hill.

"Hey, Li!" I shouted, when he was already going down. He stopped, and turned to me. I suddenly smiled: "I love you!" And I jumped to him to hug my love…just like where this story started…

Epilogue

Li caught Sakura in midair in a tight hug.

"Hey Sakura, is it me or you do have a love for jumping to hug me?" Sakura giggled, and then looked at Li in the eyes: "In what moment did you fall in love with me?"

"That's a secret, my dear princess."

"Secret? I just saved your life and you consider me the perfect girl, and you still have secrets from me?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes, I really want to know."

"Then we have a problem."

"Why?"

"I…I don't remember…" Li tried to laugh, but Sakura let go off him as he fell to the ground.

"Haha, very funny, Li."

"Anyways, before we go to Mei Ling and Tomoyo…would you follow me?"

"Where?"

"It's a surprise." Sakura smiled and helped Li get up, as he ran through the city, until they got to the center and to a place where it seemed they have candy rings. Li grabbed Sakura by the hand and took her to the man who was giving the rings, who said: "Could you tell me your names?"

"I'm Shiaoran Li, and she's Kinomoto Sakura."

"Very well…here are your rings." The man gave a candy ring each one of them. "Now…Shiaoran Li, do you promise that you'll stay with Sakura until the very end?"

"Until the very end…" Sakura smiled.

"Kinomoto Sakura, do you promise that you'll stay with Li until the very end?"

"How can that be a question when the answer's so obvious?" Li smiled too.

"Then…you may exchange rings, and if you want to hug or kiss get to other parts because there are kids in the line." The couple giggled, and exchanged rings. After that, Li took Sakura through the street while he said: "So now that we're unofficially married, we must go to search for Mei Ling and Tomoyo."

"Nope. First I must receive a kiss from my prince."

"Really?"

"Why do you act like that? Like you've never kissed me before."

"Oh, all right." And then, Li gave her a swift kiss, but Sakura, not satisfied with that, put her arms around her and gave him a deep kiss…

Li and Sakura found Mei Ling and Tomoyo, and told them everything. Everyone was reunited with their loved persons. Li and Sakura, I should say, couldn't be happier. No more adventures happened to these two, and no jealously crossed their ways. Li and Mei Ling managed to get a big house thanks to the money Li's sisters sent, and then, Li was able to enter the first year of junior high school, with Sakura. At school, Li always tried to help Sakura at the homework, but sometimes he decided not to go with her, because everything ended with hugs and nothing of study at all.

Li had to go to Hong Kong again with Mei Ling for something about her sisters, and Sakura accepted without objections. Li returned in a week with the news that the will of his mother had been found, and all the money had been spread to the whole family. Li used his money to help the Kinomoto's in a hard time, but he saved enough money to survive until he got old enough to work.

Tomoyo ended being with Eriol, as he was already in Japan (and decided to stay there), and Mei Ling stayed with a boy named Efitae, who was new in junior high. Mei Ling confessed that he had never seen a boy so similar to Li. At last, Li and Sakura graduated from high-school, and though Li wanted to work, his sisters paid him the university, and he studied how to traduce ancient language and he studied how to be a doctor, as he became the famous Doctor Shiaoran.

Sakura, ignoring the promises of Li that he would maintain her, studied Biology, and became a good biologist, but she quit the job after two years, because she married, and besides, she had to stay home to take care of his new sons.

Li and Sakura had a son named Yukito and a daughter named Tomoyo, and while Li maintained at the same work, Sakura dedicated to write romantic stories at home, based on her experience, and using Li as her only inspiration. But Yukito and Tomoyo always said "Ewwwwwww!" when Li kissed Sakura:

"Dear Sakura, I'm home." Li said, while Sakura went down the stairs to kiss her husband.

"Welcome home, Li."

"Daddy!" Yukito, of 8 years old, and Tomoyo, of 5, said while they went to hug their father. And they went to eat dinner at the kitchen.

"So how was your day?"

"Bad." Sakura said, while she carried a piece of paper to Li, who took it.

"What's this?"

"It's an 'observation' from Yukito's math teacher. It says he talks too much and doesn't pay attention."

"Oh well…"

"But dad, my teacher is lying." Yukito said.

"But let's not make the teachers angry. But, that doesn't mean you won't get fun in school. I remember when I got my first 'observation', just like you."

"You?" Yukito asked, impressed. "But dad, you were the smartest kid in the class."

"Yes, he was." Sakura said. "But since we were boyfriends, we talked a lot, and one day, our History teacher of second of junior high sent something like this to his father or tutor."

"And who signed it?" Yukito said. "You didn't have your mother at that time, right?"

"You're right." Li said. "But grandfather Fujitaka was like a father too me, and he signed it, and the best of all, he wasn't angry at all."

"So…you'll sign it and not be angry at all?" Li laughed, but did it. They were served dinner.

"This looks delicious, my love." Li said.

"Thanks, Shiaoran." Sakura said, blushing.

"You know son, your mother, since young, was always a great cooker. But, Tomoyo, why are you so silent?"

"She must have your silent part." Sakura said.

"It's just that, today, I asked a boy if he wanted to be my boyfriend, and he said no." Tomoyo said sadly.

"Don't worry Tomoyo: the day you find your true love, you will be always together." Li said.

"How can you be sure? Is that how you and mommy met?" Yukito asked.

"Precisely."

"And here's the proof." Sakura said, while she gave the card of TRUE LOVE to Yukito, who had received the charge of Cardcaptor as Kero convinced him, with the excuse of "if something else happened".

"Do you…do you really think I'll find my True Love…?" Tomoyo still asked.

"Yes…you'll find the most valuable person for you someday…just like I did with your mother…" And Sakura couldn't resist but to kiss Li, and when they did this, they laughed as their sons said "Ewwwwwwwww"…again…

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: If you think the whole story is very, very romantic, please tell me…I need to know, so click the green button below, please. Anyways, finally, it's the end.

THE END


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